An unexpected love affair Part 2
by Lovely Vero
Summary: Sequel of my story: An unexpected love affair - part 1 - Stefan came back to Mystic falls after several years away from his home town, only to find Caroline in charge of a cupcakes bakery shop and foster parent of a little girl! M content and humor.
1. The day you came back

**AN UNEXPECTED LOVE AFFAIR - PART 2**

Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

**New readers****:** I am strongly suggesting for you to read "**An unexpected love affair – Part 1**", before starting to read this sequel story

**Writer's note****:**Hello to all my readers of "**An** **unexpected love affair – Part 1**". I'm so happy to start the sequel, and I hope that you'll enjoy it as much as I will enjoy writing it. Take note, I will have three stories running at the same time, and probably a new job in hands. So, please, be patient with my updates! But I can assure you that I will write them…Even if I have to do it in a restroom at work! (LOL)

_After several years away from Mystic Fall, Elena came back to see Caroline with a big surprise at hands! Leaving Caroline in charge of her surprise, she leaves the city once again to lure Damon to follow her, in hope to make him regain his memory or get rid of him, any ways she can. The same day, Stefan Salvatore came back to Mystic Falls, after several years of being away from his home town. He left to deal with his anger and urge to let his ripper side come back to life again, to try to make peace with the fact that his brother has disappear from his life, and to understand his mixed up feelings toward Caroline…__ So, 1, 2, 3…..It's a start….Enjoy! _

**THE DAY YOU CAME BACK**

**Preface: Caroline & Elena**

**(From my cross over DELENA story: Whisper of the past)**

Caroline Forbes walked toward the front door of the Salvatore's boarding house, a cup of coffee in her hands, or should she say, her house! Even after so many years, she felt weird about that fact. She was in her PJ pants, with a blue camisole on top, enjoying herself on a Saturday morning. She had decided to take her morning off away from her work; she would open her little bakery store later in the day. She had worked hard the last two years, and she was deserving of a break!

She opened the front door, and bended her upper body to picked up the morning newspaper, before raising herself up, and almost loosing her balance while staring into the eyes of the person who was standing in front of her, with a couple of luggage bags at her feet.

"**Oh my God, Elena…"** She exclaimed, before dropping her newspaper and coffee cup on the floor, and taking her into her arms.

"**Good morning Caroline!"** Elena responded to her, while hugging her friend.

"**What are you doing here? When did you arrive?"** Caroline asked, nervously and almost incoherently, to her friend. **"Oh look at me, I am talking none stop…It's been so long without seeing you…" **She added to her, continuing.** "I was always so happy to receive news from you by e-mails, or text messages…Did you graduate, of course you did? When did you take your plane? And you put some highlights in your hair! It suits you…" **

Elena looked at her old friend, while holding her laughter, Caroline was still the same bubbly person that she always been.

"**Where are my manners…Come, enter…We'll chat…I have the morning off from work…."** Caroline said to her friend.

"**I will Caroline, but first I have to tell you…"** Elena started before being cut in her sentence by a child voice.

A four year old little girl, with dark hair and dark eyes, appeared in front of Caroline.

"**Mummy…"** The child asked Elena, while pulling on her jeans jacket, with her small right hand. **"Does the pretty lady always talk that much?" **She added**, **leaving a white as a ghost and speechless Caroline in front of them.

"**It can't be ….It's impossible!"** Caroline mumbled in her teeth, while shaking her head from right to left.

"**It is, Caroline!"** Elena confirmed to her friend, while tears were filling her eyes, before taking in her hands, her daughter's little hand. "**Rose, this is Caroline, my friend that I've told you about…Caroline; this is Rose, my daughter!"**

"**Hello!"** The little girl said to Caroline, smiling at her.

**ooOoo**

"**Why did you keep quiet about her?" **Caroline asked Elena.

They were both standing in front of the open French doors that were leading the way to the garden, cups of coffee in their hands, while looking at Rose, who was running and playing around.

"**I caused enough pain, turmoil and sadness to all of you…I took the decision of handling my pregnancy by myself…"** Elena answered her friend while keeping her sight on Rose.

Caroline took Elena's left hand in hers.

"**It must have been so hard for you, Elena?"** She whispered to her friend.

Elena nodded her head, before passing the back of her right hand on her face, sweeping away her tears.

"**How did you do it?"** Caroline asked her.

"**I had a lot of help in Boston…I met wonderful people, and I was able to find a little apartment in top of a bakery shop, the landlord, Louise, helped me a lot, she was babysitting Rose when I was at school…."** Elena explained to Caroline.

"**But how this could have happen? I don't understand?"** Caroline asked Elena.

"**The night I saw Damon at the convent for the last time…We made love…And it never crossed my mind for a second that I could become pregnant after the curse and the fact that he was back as human…everything was a blur in my mind...Then the curse was reverse…Damon disappear for ever…and I left for Boston…"** Elena said to Caroline, continuing. **"Couple of weeks after my arrival, I started to feel nauseous, and I could not keep up with my courses and…Louise suggested that I go see a doctor…I went, and he confirmed that I was pregnant." **

"**You must have been so scared, Elena." **Caroline replied to her friend.

Elena nodded her head, adding:

"**I had no way of knowing if the child would be normal…or if I would give birth to a monster…"** Elena confessed to Caroline, adding. **"…And then, at the hospital, when they put in my arms this beautiful baby girl, with all her little fingers and little toes, and her dark hair…She looked so much like Damon, Caroline…You have no way of knowing how much she looked like him…" **Elena whispered to Caroline, in tears.

Caroline took her in her arms, Elena's head on her shoulders, while caressing her friend's hair.

"**I should have been there with you…"** She whispered to Elena.

"**I managed…"** Elena murmured to her.

"**So, she is normal then?"** Caroline asked her.

Elena raised her head and look Caroline in the eyes.

"**At first sight, she is human…."** Elena responded to her, while detaching herself of Caroline, and rubbing her hands together.

"**What do you mean at first sight?" **Caroline asked her friend, suddenly worried.

"**She is like a magnet…She…I saw her move objects…."** Elena explained to her friend.

"**You saw her doing what?"** Caroline repeated to Elena, with her mouth wide open.

Elena nodded her head one more time.

"**Oh my God…What is she?"** Caroline asked Elena.

"**I don't know what she is, Caroline!" **Elena screamed at her, adding.** "To me she's my daughter…She was conceived in the strangest conditions…I have no way of knowing what she'll be in five or ten years…" **

"**I'm sorry…I'm sorry…You misunderstood me, Elena..." **Caroline explained to her, while putting her right hand on Elena's left forearm, continuing.** "Of course you love her, she's adorable."**

"**No…No…It's me who's sorry, Caroline…I'm on edge with my nerves!" **Elena replied to her.

"**Did you tell Jenna?" **Caroline asked her.

"**No…I exchanged with her and Jeremy several times by month of the phone, text messages, and e-mails…but I kept quiet about Rose."** Elena asked her.

"**What about Stefan, it's his niece?"** Caroline asked her, while lowering her head. The subject of Stefan was still a sour subject between the two friends, considering the secrets and betrayals the past had left behind them.

"**He doesn't know about Rose, and I want to keep it that way for as long as I can…Did…Did you receive news from him after he left you the house…" **Elena asked her.

"**No, and I don't want any…"** Caroline answered her friend, while turning her sight on Rose in the garden. **"Why Rose as name choice, to remember her? I never noticed that you were so close?"** Caroline asked her, puzzled by that choice of name.

"**It had nothing to do with Rose…"** Elena explained to Caroline, while blushing and adding. **"It's in memory of the flower…"**

"**Damon, and your last night together…."** Caroline guessed.

"**Yes…"** Elena replied to her, with a smile on her face.

"**The important thing is that you're home now…You'll tell the others…and they'll be happy to see you, and meet Rose…"** Caroline started explaining to her.

Elena shook her head in negation, while rubbing nervously her hands together.

"**What you mean no…."** Caroline asked her, worried.

"**Three weeks ago, Caroline, I felt like someone was watching me, and was following my every step…"** Elena started explaining to her Caroline, adding **"…I was doing my groceries shopping…or I was taking a walk on the street, and I would jump out of my body of fear, looking everywhere around me with the certainty that I've been followed…"** Elena said to her.

"**Maybe you were just nervous about the end of your last semester, and your exams?"** Caroline replied to her.

"**No…"** Elena replied to Caroline, with tears in her eyes.

"**Elena, what is it? You are scaring me now!"** Caroline said to her friend.

"**Last night, a girl was viciously murdered in front of her dorm on the University campus…Animal marks were visible on her neck, and her head was cut from the rest of her body…."** Elena explained to Caroline.

"**Damon…"** Caroline whispered to her in shock, adding. "…**You think he is following you, that he's in Boston? But, he lost his memory; he doesn't remember who he is and most of all, and doesn't remember who you are/"**

"**I'm sure it's him." **Elena replied to Caroline.

"**Ok, we have to call Stefan…And Alaric and maybe Elijah, if we can get hold of him…"** Caroline said to his friend, nervously pacing back and forth in front of her.

"**No!"** Elena screamed to her friends, while stopping her, and taking her hands in hers.

"**Listen to me Caroline; I have to take care of Damon by myself…It seems that I am the only one that Damon, or whoever he is now, as memory of…"** Elena replied to her.

"**What do you mean you have to take care of it by yourself?"** Caroline asked her, before realizing. **"No! Elena, No! It's like going on a suicidal mission…He's a monster…He will kill you!" **

"**It's a chance I have to take for Rose, Caroline! We, me and Damon, have put on this earth this little girl…Damon doesn't exist anymore, he's dead…the curse created a monster in him without a soul…I need to get through to him…I could not forgive myself if something happen to Rose…" **Elena said to Caroline.

"**But he won't remember, Elena!" **Caroline replied to her friend.

"**He's remembering something...Or he wouldn't have found me and followed me everywhere in Boston, so many years after…"** Elena explained to her.

"**What if he's not? What if he was there just as a coincidence? What if he's violent toward you after?"** Caroline asked her.

"**Then I'll kill him! It's not like I don't know how!"** Elena replied to her friend, with no emotion in her eyes. **"If it comes to choosing between Rose and him…I'll choose Rose…The Damon that I knew would have wanted that…" **

"**I don't like this…I don't like this at all, Elena!" **Caroline replied to her friend, while turning her body from right to left in nervousness.** "You'll think that he could already be in Mystic Falls?"**

"**My instinct tells me that he will be here very soon…Probably in a couple of hours…I'll take one of Stefan's cars, and I'll show publicly myself in the city, walking around…I want him to see me…then I will lure him far away from the city!" **Elena replied to her friend.

"**Where will you go?"** Caroline asked Elena.

"**I can't tell you…"** Elena replied to her.

"**And what about Rose…You can't bring her with you? It's not safe for her, Elena!"** Caroline screamed at her.

"**I was not counting on bringing her with me, Caroline…"** Elena replied to her friend, while begging her friend with a simple look in Caroline's eyes.

"**What…Oh no, no, no…Elena…I can't!"** Caroline screamed at her.

"**Please, Caroline!" **Elena asked of her, adding.** "I'm begging you…Take care of her, and if ever something happens to me, if I'm not back after two months…bring her to Jenna and Alaric…But, don't tell a soul about who she is, for the all time that I will be away from her…Please!" **Elena begged her, with tears in her eyes.

"**Two months! What am I suppose to tell everybody? People will ask questions…"** Caroline replied to her friends, shaking like a leaf.

"**You'll find something…" **Elena replied to her, adding.** "Promise me that you won't tell anybody that she is mine and Damon's daughter, promise me, please?" **

"**Ok, ok…I promise!" **Caroline replied to Elena.

"**Thank you!"** Elena whispered to her, before taking a few steps outside on the patio, and screaming. **"Rose, come see me sweetie…I need to talk to you…" **

"**I'm coming mummy!" **Rose screamed to her, before running toward Elena's and Caroline's standing position.

Caroline was already regretting her decision while watching Rose climbing the stairs.

* * *

><p><strong>THE DAY YOU CAME BACK<strong>

**- Chapter 1- **

Caroline was keeping her head down, in hope of not seeing anybody that she knew, while walking on the downtown busiest sidewalks of Mystic Falls, holding the little hand of a four years old little girl who was walking at her side, trying to keep the pace with Caroline's rapid steps.

"**Good day Miss Caroline!" **Anelderly man, who was sitting on a city bench, saluted her, adding. **"Lovely day of the end of the summer, would you say…You did not open your little bakery shop this morning?"**

Caroline stopped before raising her head to look at the man, who was sitting beside her standing position.

"**Mister Goldman! How are you? Yes it is a lovely day...You'll excuse me, I have to go open my bakery shop now… I did not open this morning, because I took the morning off as a deserved: "I sleep late" kind of day, have a good day now!"** Caroline replied to the elderly man, while pulling Rose, to try to escape rapidly Mister Goldman, who was known to be the neighbourhood newspaper! Once he had information on you, it would only take him a split of a second for gossiping this information around him!

"**Oh…Of course Miss Caroline, you deserve it. You worked hard the last two years…I understand…"** He replied, while nodding his head and watching her stepping away from the sidewalk to cross the street in front of him. **"But…Miss Caroline?"** He called her; just at the moment she thought she was getting away from his curiosity, and would have been crossing the street. She closed her eyes, and turned her sight to him.

"**Yes, Mister Goldman?"** She asked him, while turning on herself, and putting a fake smile on her face.

"**Well…I was wondering who that beautiful little girl is?"** He asked her, waving his hand to Rose, while Caroline was desperately trying to push and hide Rose behind her.

Rose was holding Caroline by her skirt, while looking at the man and sliding her face to make a "pic-a-boo" appearance.

"**It's ok, sweetie…You can say hello to the nice man…"** Caroline said to Rose, while taking the little girl's hand to make her appear from behind her. She knew Mister Goldman, he wouldn't be happy before knowing who that little girl was.

"**Hello, I'm Rose…"** Rose said politely to the elderly man.

"**Well, what a beautiful name you have young lady…"** Mister Goldman replied to Rose, adding. **"…And where is your mummy?"**

"**I'm babysitting Rose for the next two months, Mister Goldman, so you'll see her with me from now on…Rose's mother is an old friend of mine from….New York, and she has to take care of her own mother who's very sick now. I wish you a nice day!"** Caroline explained to him, cutting the conversation short and turning her back at him before he could ask her another questions, crossing the street, with Rose at her side.

Rose turned to look Mister Goldman one last time, and stared her eyes on his hat, before making it rise and twirl in the air, while putting her little hand on her mouth to hold her laughter.

"**My hat…"** The man screamed, trying to catch it for a minute, without being able to do so, before picking it up on the ground, and put it back on his head. **"That is the strangest think…"** He started saying to a lady who was passing by him on the sidewalks. "**There is absolutely no wind today**!"

"**What are you laughing about, young lady?"** Caroline asked her, while noticing her giggling.

"**Nothing, Aunty Caroline…"** Rose answered her.

Caroline looked at her, and smiled; it was so strange for her to hear a four years old kid calling her Aunt Caroline…It made her felt special.

"**Mummy told me that it would be ok for me to call you Aunty Caroline…"** She continued explaining to Caroline.

"**Mummy was right…but could you say Aunt Caroline…because the "Aunty" sounds old to me!" **Caroline replied to Rose, while bending her upper body to caress Rose cheeks with her right hand. "Gosh!" Caroline thought, Rose was the double image of Damon! Even the little sarcastic was the same!

"**Ok, Aunty Caroline!"** Rose replied to her, with a smirk on her face, making Caroline nodding her head in disbelief one more time of how much of Damon she could see in that little girl. **"Ohhhhhh….."** The little girl exclaimed, before running toward Caroline's small bakery shop, putting her small hands on the window, with wide open eyes, and a smile from her mouth to her ears. **"Is it yours?" **She asked Caroline.

"**Yes, it is Rose!"** She responded to the child, with a big smile on her face.

Caroline was very proud of her small, but prosperous accomplishment! She had opened her little bakery shop of cupcakes two years ago. After high school, she had gone to a cooking school, with no specific ideas in her mind, except that she always wanted to learn how to cook. The idea came to her in a middle of a semester, while reading in a magazine that cupcakes shops were the "in" bakery shops these days, especially in Los Angeles. The only problem at the time was, that she did not had sufficient funds to start her own shop! Then, her mother offered her the money of the trust found that had been put away for her future, and could be taken at her twenty one birthdays, even if technically, she would be seventeen for all eternity. Caroline managed to look older with makeup and grown up clothes, and she was looking pretty good for a twenty three years old young woman. One thing leading to another, she had noticed that a small shoes store had closed its door on one of the main downtown street of Mystic Falls…She took a mortgage on the store, and opened her own cupcakes bakery shop. It did not take long for it to be a success…Now, Caroline had loyal customers and she was even able to make a good profit at the end of the year.

Rose was looking at the colourful cupcakes drawing print on the bakery shop window.

"**Aunty Caroline, is it really yours?"** Rose asked her, adding. "**Are you baking cupcakes?"**

"**I sure do, sweetheart…Now come we have to open the shop…" **Caroline said to Rose, while turning the key in the door.

* * *

><p>Caroline put a white apron on her, before taking a big tray full of cupcakes from the commercial fridge, located at the back store of the little kitchen of her shop, before sliding the said tray on a wooden table, where rose was sitting in front of her on a wooden stool, and was watching every of Caroline's move, with her elbows place on the table and her head in her little hands.<p>

"**Wow…"** The little girls exclaimed to Caroline.

"**You want one, sweetie?" **Caroline asked her.

Rose nodded her head, while taking in her little right hand a chocolate cupcake with pink frosting and a cherry on top.

"**Sweetie, stay here and eat your cupcake…Aunty…Aunt Caroline, will be back in a short while…"** Caroline told her, while caressing the little girl hair.

She took her big leather hobo bag, while opening the security back door of her shop, stepping out in the back alley, before closing the door behind her. Then she lowered her upper body, while putting her hands on her knees and closing her eyes. Her nerves were taking the best part of her. Since this morning, she had met with her best friend after five years of not seeing her, learned that she had a daughter, had to see her leave to lure Damon after her, and was now the foster parent of a four years old little girl! That was a lot for her to handle in a couple of hours, she had experienced everything in a short amount of time, and nothing else could happen to her before the day would be over! She opened he bag before getting out a thermos with blood in it. To top it off! Elena never thought about the fact that Caroline needed to feed herself with blood in the day…How could she, for the next two months, hide that fact to Rose? Now she needed to relax and calm down, put herself together, and open the store. She would think of ideas of handling the next two months, later in the day.

* * *

><p>Caroline had put cupcakes to bake in the industrial oven, later in the day; she would put the different frosting on the tops. She turned to take a glimpse at Rose; she was drawing and coloring, on a piece of paper, on the kitchen table.<p>

"**Sweetie, I have to go open the store now…You think that you could stay in here for a short while colouring your beautiful pictures?"**

Rose nodded her head.

"**Good!" **Caroline replied, while bending her head and kissing Rose's forehead.

Rose put her little arms around Caroline, while holding her tightly.

"**I miss mummy…"** She said to Caroline.

Caroline took Rose little head in her hands.

"**Rose, mummy explained to you that she would have to be gone for a while to help a friend of hers…You remember?"** Caroline explained to the child.

Rose nodded her head.

"**Well…When she would be finished with helping her friend…she will rush back here to be with you…"** Caroline said to Rose.

"**Pinky swear?"** Rose asked her, while showing her smaller finger.

"**Pinky swear…"** Caroline answered her, while interlacing her finger with hers.

Caroline caressed Rose's hair before directing her walk to the front of her bakery store, passing between the little bistro tables and chairs and the refrigerated counters where hundreds of different cupcakes were waiting for customers to buy them. She reached the front door, and put the little wooded sign in reverse to show that the store was now open, before opening her door to Miss Lambert, a wonderful and sweet grandmother, who was always passing on every Saturday morning to pick up cupcakes for her grandchildren that were coming to visit her every week for diner.

"**Ah…Caroline, I thought you were not going to open your store today?"** She exclaimed to Caroline, before entering the bakery shop.

Caroline smiled before taking her place behind the counter.

"**Miss Lambert, I would never do that to you…I just took a couple of extra hours this morning to rest…" **Caroline explained to the grandmother.

"**Oh…I understand sweetie…You need to take a vacation from time to time…You've been working non stop for the past few years…" **Miss Lambert answered her.

"**So, what will it be today…"** Caroline asked her, with a smile on her face.

"**Mm…Give me two chocolate ones with the colourful smarties on top…One with the strawberries on top, and two with the blue frosting." **Miss Lambert ordered to Caroline.

Caroline put gloves on, and took all the choices of Miss Lambert, putting them in a pink box, with a white ribbon around it, before reaching the old cash register that she had bought at an antique shop.

"**It will be 10.78$, Miss Lambert…"** Caroline said to her, while putting the box in a paper bag, that what showing her bakery shop logo on each side.

"**Here you go Caroline, keep the change…"** Miss Lambert answered her, adding. **"Have a nice day!" **

"**Thank you Miss Lambert, you too…" **Caroline said, while smiling at the elderly woman, before seeing her leave the store.

Other customers had entered the store, and were looking at the different flavours offered in front of their eyes.

"**Take your time…."** Caroline said to them. "..**I'll be back in a short while." **She added, before pushing the kitchen back door to go check on Rose and her cupcakes in the oven.

"**Are you ok sweetie?"** Caroline asked her, while noticing that Rose was still colouring

Rose nodded her head. Caroline smiled at her, before opening the oven front door to look at the baking of the cupcakes.

"**Rose, it is very busy in front today…When the timer will ring in your little ears…could you come to say it to me?"** Caroline asked her.

"**Ok, Aunty Caroline!"** She replied with a big smile on her face.

The antic door bell was ringing none stop in front, making Caroline realized that the afternoon would be a busy one!

She got back behind her counter before asking a customer what would be its choices.

* * *

><p>The man was walking in a steady but rapid pace on the sidewalks. He was wearing dark jeans with couple of holes in them, army boots on top of his ankles, a grey t-shirt, and a cargo green vest, while holding on his shoulders an army style green bag and a backpack. His hair was dark, sunglasses were hiding his eyes, and a beard of several days was covering his face. He stepped away from the sidewalk, before crossing one of the busiest streets of downtown Mystic Falls, stopping his walk in front of a bakery shop, getting rid of his sunglasses, before raising his head and reading: <em><strong>Caroline's cupcakes bakery shop<strong>_. He lowered his head again, before smiling and laughing, being amused by the name of the establishment. He pushed the front door of the small bakery shop, before looking very surprised around him, while noticing the amount of customers that were both ordering and eating at the bistro tables. He lowered his bags on the floor, before taking a few steps toward the counter.

"**What will it be?"** A young blond woman was asking a customer that was standing in front of him.

The man could not stop staring at her, the palm of his hands got sweaty, and he had to put his hands on his waist, and lowering his head to get a grip on his nerves.

"**That will be all?"** She asked the upfront customer, before directing her steps toward the cash register, and asking the customer to pay its due.

She came back in front of the stranger man, before lowering her head, and turning to take a box on the wooden shelves behind her.

"**I'm sorry, give me two seconds."** She said to the man, adding. **"I just need to open this box to pick up some new paper bags to being able to serve you…" **

"**Take your time…" **The man answered her.

"**Ok…It's done!"** She said more to herself, before putting the paper bags beside her on a silver hock on the wall, before sweeping her hands on her apron, and adding while rising her sight on the man. "**Sorry for the wait, what can…."** She stopped in the middle of her sentence while loosing all the colors on her cheeks, and jumping out of her body, realizing who the customer standing in front of her was.

"**Hi Caroline…"** The man addressed himself to her.

She nervously rubbed her hands together, while keeping her eyes locked with his.

"**What are you doing here, Stefan?"** She asked him.

He put his hands in his jacket's pockets, before shrugging his shoulders, while taking a glimpse at the glass counter and the cupcakes in it.

"**I wanted something sweet!"** He responded to her, while staring once again into her eyes, in a double meaning of his sentence.

Standing behind the counter, she closed her fists with anger, while holding her calm in front of him.

"**There are a lot of customers today; could you make your choice, please?"** She asked him to do.

"**Sure…What do you suggest?"** He asked her while seductively smiling at her.

She turned for a split second, closed her eyes and counted to ten. And yes! Her day just got way more complicated than an hour ago, when she was lamenting on herself!

"**Sure…"** She answered him, while opening her glass counter, and saying. **"I have an exotic one to propose to you, chocolate and pepper…But, maybe you're not a risk taker…Maybe, you would prefer a less risky choice like vanilla?" **She suggested to him, while deviously smiling at him. "Take that in the face, you bastard, for abandoning me five years ago!" She though, before waiting for his answers.

Stefan raised one of his eyebrows, before smiling. Ok…That wasn't so bad after all, in all the scenarios he had in his mind before arriving in Mystic Falls, it thought that Caroline would probably act colder toward him, and be mad as hell…And of course, she was all of the above to him right this minute…but, one thing that he never thought, is that she would still care for him…and a woman with such a fire in her eyes, like she was showing right this moment while looking at him, could not completely be indifferent to him!

"**Chocolate with pepper will be fine…"** He answered her.

"**Perfect choice…" **Caroline answered him, while taking one of the cupcake in the counter, wrapping it in a glossy paper, and reaching for a small paper bag to put it in it. Sooner she would give him his damn cupcake, sooner he would leave her place!

"**Oh…I'm sorry…I forgot to mention…"** He said to her, continuing. **"I would like to eat it in here...With a cup of tea, please!"** He added, with a devious smile on his face, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Caroline took back the cupcake from the paper bag, before angrily putting it on a small plate, on a tray, while turning to put a cup of hot water with a tea bag. He was doing this in purpose! To test her …and to just being an asshole after five years away from Mystic Falls!

"**Four dollars and twenty two cents…"** Caroline told him, with a mad glare in the eyes.

He looked at her with a smile on his face, before sliding his hands in his jeans right front pocket, and throwing her a twenty dollars bill.

"**Keep the change…"** He said to her, adding. **"Nice place you have here, Caroline, you should be proud…"** He added to her, nodding his head, before walking toward a bistro table near the counter to keep his sight on her, while sipping his cup of tea.

Caroline kept her calm by continuing to serve the last customers who were standing in front of her in wait to be served, but she could feel his staring at her the all time, he never lost a second of what she was doing…Why did he came back? Maybe he wanted his house for himself again? Was it because he knew that Klaus would be back for Elena in a couple of months? She could not imagine that it was for her…The day he took off from Mystic Falls it was obvious to her, that she was not one of his priorities in life! After thinking all the possibilities in her mind, she finally remembered Rose, and the fact that she completely forgot her cupcakes in the kitchen oven. "Oh my God Rose!" She thought, the young child needed to stay far away from Stefan as possible…She rushed back in her back store kitchen without even giving a look in direction of Stefan's sitting position.

Stefan noticed that she was rushing in the back of her store, probably to pick up more cakes…and he decided that he would not push his welcome in here. He took his bag on the floor, and his backpack, before leaving the store.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Oh my God, Rose…I'm so sorry, sweetie, I completely forgot about you…See, Aunt Caroline was busy with customers, and I lost touch with time..." <strong> Caroline tried to explain to the little girl, without adding: "And then your uncle showed up after five years of absence…And I was all nervous and mixed up!"

"**it's ok…"** The little girl responded to her. "**I opened the door….and I was watching you, Aunty Caroline…"** She added to Caroline.

"**You were…"** Caroline said, while caressing Rose's cheeks. **"One sure thing…my cupcakes must be burned in the oven!"** She exclaimed herself, while turning to look at the industrial oven, before opening her mouth wide open and seeing the tray full of fresh baked cupcake on the wooded table.

"**Sweetie, who put the tray full of cupcakes, that was in the oven on the table?"** Caroline asked Rose, while taking a look at the back exit door to see if the door was closed.

"**Me…"** Rose answered her, while smiling at Caroline.

"**It's impossible, sweetie…The tray is very heavy, even for me, and I am a grown up…and you could not have reached the oven button to close the heat, because you are a little girl…"** Caroline explained to Rose, asking. **"So, who came in here?" **

The little girl shrugged her shoulders before repeating:

"**Me! The timer made a big: Driiiinnnnnnggggg…And I put the cupcakes on the tables for you…"** Rose explained to Caroline, while shrugging her little shoulders another time, before finishing her drawing.

"**But it is very dangerous sweetie; you can't go near the oven…That is why I told you to go pick me up in front, for me to take care of it…How did you do it …you are too small in height to touch the oven…" **Caroline tried to reason with her.

"**I did not move, Aunty Caroline, I stayed on my chair…"** She replied to Caroline, while shaking her head, from right to left.

Caroline stood still for a few seconds, remembering what Elena had told her earlier about Rose special power of moving objects…Could she had closed the oven heat and taking off the tray by distance? She put her left hand on her forehead, before stroking her eyes with it…This was too much for her to handle right now…Especially after Stefan's return!

She took a few steps toward the kitchen door, before pushing it a tiny bit; to take a glimpse at front of the bakery shop…Stefan had left. There was only a couple in front of the counter who were looking at the cupcakes selections.

"**Sweetie, come here…"** Caroline asked Rose to do. **"Bring your color crayons and drawing papers, you'll do it in front with me, you'll be able to draw on a bistro table…I will go serve the nice couple, and I will close the shop earlier…then, I will show you how to make colourful frostings and we will put it on the cupcakes, before preparing them for tomorrow…" **Caroline added as explanation to Rose.

"**Ok…"** Rose replied to her, while clapping her hands together.

The little girl rushed up front by pushing the kitchen door. Caroline closed her eyes for two seconds, while putting her hands on each side of her waist. This day was a complete carousel of high emotions. She would think about Stefan's return later…for now…she needed to put herself together for Rose.

* * *

><p>Caroline opened the water faucets, before plunging her head under the shower. "Finally" She thought, while enjoying the water cascading on her body! That day seemed to have no end to it… She was exhausted…more by her emotions than anything else. She opened her eyes, while sweeping the water away from her face, she thought she had heard the door bell from downstairs…but she was probably mistaken. She had given Rose her bath a short while before entering the shower herself, and asked the little girl to stay in front of the TV in her room, and watch cartoons while she was showering.<p>

Stefan was standing in front of his previous-house, considering that he had given the property to Caroline, both of his hands in his jeans front pockets. He was not able to put Caroline out of his mind since he had met with her at her bakery shop earlier this afternoon, he needed to clear the air between the two of them, and he needed to explain to her so many things…but more than anything else, he needed to see her again. He rang the door bell a second time, and stood in front of the door, in hope that she would not slap it in his face when she would see that it was him.

The door finally opened to an empty space. Nobody was standing in front of him. He look puzzled for a second or two, before lowering his sight, and seeing a little girl in front of him, in her Cinderella PJ.

"**Hello, is Caroline at home, I am one of her friends?"** He asked the little girl.

"**I took my bath…"** She confessed to Stefan, adding. **"Aunty Caroline is under…you know…the water that goes on the heads of grownups?" **

"**The shower…" **Stefan responded to the little girl, still in shock by the "Aunty" part of the child sentence.

She nodded her head, before opening the door wider for him to enter, and running in direction of the parlour room. Stefan entered the house, before closing the front door behind him and directing his walk toward the parlour room, noticing that the child was sitting on the sofa in front of the fireplace. The furniture was still the same…except for the walls decorations, the curtains, and the cushions. A feminine touch had been put in place by Caroline.

Stefan took a sitting place beside the little girl, while smiling and rubbing his hands together.

"**I'm Rose…"** She said to him.

"**I'm Stefan…"** He told her, while smiling at her.

"**Only Stefan or you have something else after…"** Rose asked him.

Stefan raised one of his eyebrows.

"**Mummy always says that we have two names…but, I'm too young to learn the other names…"** Rose explained to him.

"**Oh…"** Stefan said, before lowering his head in laughter. **"…Your mummy is very wise…and yes…I have another family name after Stefan …it is "Salvatore"…"**

"**Sa…va..or…" **Rose repeated after him.

Stefan smiled at Rose, while caressing her hair.

"**Yes! Something like that…"** Stefan replied to the little girl.

"**I like it…"** She responded to him, before starting to laugh with him, adding. **"Can I call you, Uncle Stefan?"**

Stefan looked at Rose with surprise, before nodding his head.

"**Sure!"** He responded to the little girl.

Caroline got out of the shower, and took a body towel in her hands, before wrapping it around her body. She stepped out of the bathroom, and froze her movements, while hearing Rose talking to a man downstairs.

"Oh my God…" She thought, to whom was she talking to? The only person that had the key of the house was Liz, his mother. Who was the stranger who was talking to the little girl downstairs? Without even thinking about it for two seconds, she started to run downstairs.

Stefan was still sitting beside Rose on the sofa, when Caroline ran into the parlour room with her hair dripping on the floor, while holding her body towel with on hand on her breast. Stefan raised himself in a standing position at the moment she entered the room.

She froze on the spot, while opening her mouth widely, and putting her other arms in front of her breast, in a fictive protection of her virtue. He locked his sight with hers, before lowering it on her almost naked body in a subjective way, with fire and desire in his eyes. This was official, she thought, her day had reached the point of no return from hell!

Rose got up on her feet, before running toward Caroline and pulling on her towel.

"**Aunty Caroline…"** The young child started, adding. **"…Uncle** **Stefan said that his other name is sa..va..or!" **

No, no, no …Not Stefan with Rose, not in the house! Now she thought that she would faint on the spot!

"**Uncle Stefan?" **She asked Rose, while looking at Stefan.

"**Oh …I'm sorry, she asked me if she could call me Uncle Stefan and I said yes…I did not see any bad in it…"** Stefan replied to Caroline.

"**It's ok!"** She replied coldly to him, adding to Rose. **"Rose, stop pulling the towel down, please…" **She added while trying to keep the fabric on her.

Stefan crossed his arms in front of his chest, before putting his right hand on his mouth to hide his growing amusement. Her towel was dropping of a half of an inch with each pulling of the child.

"**Can Uncle Stefan stay for the night, please Aunty Caroline?" **Rose asked Caroline, while still pulling on her towel.

Caroline took Rose little hand in hers.

"**Sweetie, could you go watch your cartoons in my bedroom, and leave Ste….Uncle Stefan and me to talk for a little while…"** Caroline asked Rose.

"**But I want to stay here…"** Rose mumbled in her teeth, with a mad expression on her face.

"**Rose, please…"** Caroline repeated to her.

She dropped her head down with the biggest sadness showing on her face, before running a second later with a big smile on her lips towards the stairs.

Stefan smiled at Rose's theatrical departure, before directing his sight on Caroline, taking a few steps to reach her standing position.

"**What are you doing here, Stefan? Is it the house…You want it back?"** She asked him, with a colder than ice voice.

Ok, this would be more difficult that he primarily thought. He shook his head from right to left.

"**No, it's yours…" **He responded to her, adding.** "I want to talk to you…Whenever it suits you…I…Rose opened the door…and I was surprised to see a little girl here…so I enter…I didn't knew who she was…Still don't?"** Stefan tried to explain to her, with an interrogation expression plastered on his face regarding Rose.

Caroline locked his cold glare with his eyes, before answering him:

"**Tonight, is not a good time, Stefan! I had a hard day at work….and I have to take care of Rose…"** She said to him, adding. **"Rose is ….the daughter of….of one of my employee at the bakery shop, her mother is sick and she had to pack her bags and leave…She asked me to take care of Rose while she was gone."**

Stefan nodded his head.

"**Ok…Well…You seem to do a good job with her…"** He replied to her, while taking a few steps toward the front door. Caroline turned and took a few steps toward the door herself, to show him out, but the water that had dropped from her wet body and hair, and had formed a puddle on the floor, her right foot slipped on it, and she would have fell if Stefan hadn't very rapidly encircling her waist and brought her in full contact with his chest.

"**Are you ok?"** He asked her, lowering his head at a near inch of hers. In a reflex, her hands had grabbed automatically his t-shirt; she raised her head to meet his eyes. They were both lost in the intensity of the moment. She could feel goosebumps all over her body, with an intense fire reaching her cheeks, and the lower part of body. She wanted to push him away from him, but he retained her, while sliding slowly his hand on her naked back.

"**I wouldn't do that if I was you?"** Stefan said to her, with a mocking tone of voice.

"**Let me go, Stefan!"** She ordered him to do.

"**If I would let you go now…Your towel would be on the floor…" **He whispered in her right ear, while placing her towel in her back, and gently pushing her out of his arms, before smiling at her, and nodding his head.

Caroline blushed and raised the towel a little bit higher on her breasts.

"**Thank you!"** She whispered to him, turning and taking the final steps toward the front door, before opening it and waiting for him to pass the arch.

He stepped out, and turned to look at her.

"**Goodnight Caroline, maybe tomorrow we could…"** He started to ask her.

"**I don't know…" **She replied to him, adding in a whisper. **"It's late…Good night, Stefan!"** Before closing the door on his face, leaning her back on the door a second later, while putting one of her hands on it to hold herself in a standing position, the other on her mouth, while closing her eyes, before feeling tears fell on her cheeks. Stefan looked at the closed door; put his two hands on the wood, feeling her presence behind it.

Yes! It would be harder than what he had thought…

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><p><strong>It will be a joy to read your reviews<strong>**!** Hope you enjoyed the first chapter of this sequel story.


	2. Sweet and sour

**AN UNEXPECTED LOVE AFFAIR - PART 2**

Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

**New readers****:** I am strongly suggesting for you to read "**An unexpected love affair – Part 1**", before starting to read this sequel story

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><p><strong>Chapter 2<strong>

"**SWEET AND SOUR" **

"**Here, this is for you, Mrs. Richard." **Caroline said at the last client of the day who was standing in front of her counter, while giving her the purchase bag of her cupcakes.

"**You're such a sweetheart, Caroline, thank you very much!"** The woman responded to her, while taking the purchase bag from Caroline's hands, and raising her head, before adding something. **"Did I heard right? That one of the Salvatore's brothers is back in town after their more than strange departure several years ago? You purchased their house did you, you must know that he is back?"**

Caroline raised her head, before blushing and rapidly tried to close the subject.

"**My mother bought it for me; Mrs. Richard….And, one of the brothers is back? Well…He probably went to University like a bunch of graduates of my year…And now, he is back to see friends I guess…"** Caroline replied to her, while leaving her standing position behind the counter, and gently pushing Mrs. Richard toward the entrance door and out of the bakery shop.

"**Yes but…As wonderful and well respected your mother is in this town…She could not afford to buy you a so big estate? And…were you not friend with the Salvatore's brothers back in high school?"** The lady asked her while putting a hand on the arch door to stop Caroline.

"**Respectfully, Mrs. Richard…I can assure you that we did not take possession of the Salvatore's boarding house by stilling it! And secondly, yes I was friends with them…but as you know, students after high school just grown apart…Life and all…I wish you a nice evening!"** Caroline said to her, while giving her, a forced smile, and closing the door behind, before turning the close sign on the door.

Mrs. Richard stood still for a second, with an open mouth on her face, in front of the glass door window, before turning her back and walking away from the bakery shop.

Caroline closed the lights in the front of her bakery shop, before directing her walk toward the back kitchen, taking her cell phone on her way from her purse that was behind the counter, and pushing the pre-enter number of her home.

"**Hello…"** Liz Forbes answered her.

"**Mom…How's Rose?"** Caroline asked her mother

"**She's fine…We had fun all day…We went shopping, and then we ate ice cream…And now, she is watching television in your bedroom, sweetie…" **Liz explained to Caroline.

"**Thank you mom…I needed a day off to take care of the bakery shop and the purchasing papers."** Caroline replied to her mother.

"**Of course Caroline, Rose is a sweetheart and it did not bother me at all taking care of her today…but, I still don't understand why you took such a responsibility on your shoulders, especially for a girl that you almost did not knew?" **Liz asked her daughter.

She had to tell her mother that Rose was the daughter of a young woman, Chantal, who she hired to work at the bakery shop for her, couple of months ago…Unfortunately, Chantal was unstable, and had a lot of personal problems in her life…She had to let her go, for the good of the business…She learned after a while, that Chantal, had left for New York…But, no one had known that fact, not even her mother…It was the only good explanation she could have thought of in a small period of time, it was easier to say that Rose was Chantal's daughter…and that Chantal had begged for Caroline's help. She could not imagine herself say: _Oh Rose? Well, in fact she is the daughter of Damon and Elena, Mom, and I am just babysitting while Elena just left to search for Damon, whom is not Damon anymore, and could probably kill her in the process!_

"**Well…You know me mom, always looking out for the lost soul in need of help!"** Caroline answered her.

"**Yes…I know Caroline, but taking the responsibility of a young child, for an almost stranger, and for several months was way more than water the plants at her place while the person had left!"** Liz continued explaining to her daughter.

"**I know…I know…But, I'll handle it…don't worry…"** Caroline replied to her mother. **"…Oh by the way…"** Caroline added to her mother in a laugher, to change the subject. **"..I find a vintage store that was selling the Tom Jones CD you wanted for you birthday…"**

"**You did?" **Liz answered her, while laughing herself. **"You remember when you were a little girl?" **

"**And you were cooking cakes…while listening to your favourite song of him…Oh yes! I do!" **Caroline exclaimed with laughter.

"**When can we expect you back home, Caroline?"** Liz asked her.

"**Give me a good one hour and a half…I still have to prepare the frosting for tomorrow..."** Caroline explained to her mother, adding with a smile. **"…I'll put the CD, it will pass quicker!" **

"**Ok sweetie, I'll be waiting for you with Rose then….Bye." **Liz said to her.

"**Bye Mom…" **Carolinereplied to her, while closing her cell phone.

Caroline put her cell phone on the kitchen counter, before opening her fridge and reaching for the ingredients to prepare several bowls of frosting for the batch of cupcakes that would be bake by her tomorrow morning. She laid the ingredients on the table, before stopping on her track, smiling and walking up front, to pick in her hobo handbag, the old Tom Jones CD she had purchased for her mother. She opened it, and put the CD in a CD player, choosing the song: _It's not unusual. _She got back to the kitchen, and started to dance around the kitchen counter table, while humming the melody, with the biggest smile on her face, before hearing the first lyrics of the song and singing it out loud while making the frosting preparation.

"**It's not unusual to be loved by anyone, it's no unusual to have fun with anyone, but when I see you hanging about with anyone it's not unusual …"**

She did not hear the front door open; she did not hear him calling her name, and she did not notice him entering the kitchen, crossing his arms in front of his chest, while leaning the right side of his body on the arch door.

Stefan Salvatore put his right hand on his mouth to hold his laughter. Caroline was shaking her booty in front of him like no woman before, while singing a Tom Jones's song, with a wooden spoon in her right hand as a fictive microphone. There was one Caroline Forbes in the world! And that woman was the only one who was able to put the biggest smile on Stefan Salvatore's mouth, and rays of joy and happiness in his eyes.

He lowered his head, while trying to not burst into laughter, before raising it again, with the biggest smile on his face. She turned her sight and finally noticed him standing under the arch kitchen door, stopping her singing and dancing on the spot, while staying immobile, with a bowl of eggs in her left hand and the spoon in her right.

He approached the kitchen island table, hands in his front jeans pocket, with the biggest smirk on his face, before following the lyrics and singing in front of her:

"…**It's not unusual, to be sad with anyone, but if I ever find that you've changed at anytime, it's not unusual to find out that I'm in love with you…Whoa-oh-oh-oh-oh…"**

The song stopped, and he stayed eyes to eyes for a minute, holding their movements.

Caroline stepped out of her present liturgy state of mind, by dropping the bowl and spoon on the Island kitchen table, before walking toward the CD player and angrily pushing the button to stop it. She then, put both of her hands on the counter, lowered her head and closed her eyes, counted to ten to calm herself down, before raising her head, turning to look at him, both of her hands on each side of her waist with a killer look in the eye.

"**What are you doing here Stefan, and what do you want…and how did you enter in my shop?"** Caroline asked angrily to him.

"**Well, Caroline…" **Stefananswered her, with a mocking tone in his voice, while walking toward her standing position near the counter in a slow pace.** "..I entered by the front door, which was not locked, and then I called your name, but without being answered…so, I walked toward the back shop kitchen, hearing the music, and I find you here, singing and shaking your lower body like there is no tomorrow!"** He finished explaining to her, with the biggest smirk on his face, while approaching her standing position, putting his hands on top of her hands, on each side of her waist, lowering his upper body near hers, his face at a near proximity of Caroline's.

She raised her sight to look at him…wrong move she thought! Her eyes were now locked intensely with his, and she could feel goosepumbs passing through her arms and legs, like electrical shocks…Almost not able to stand up on her own, while feeling her own body responding to his. He raised slowly his right hand, before passing its back on her left cheek in a sensual movement, sliding it on her hair, feeling their softness by passing his fingers through it. He was observing each of her reactions, looking at her like it was the first time.

She could not move or speak! It has been so long without feeling the touch of his hands on her…he gently grabbed the back of her neck, before pulling her head in a nearer proximity, slowly lowering his mouth on hers, before touching her lips with his…in an almost none perceivable kiss…She could feel his lips trembling on top of hers, and in an effort of gaining her pride that she had build these last years away from him, she suddenly turned her head to the right, before pushing him away from her, and walking toward the opposite side of the kitchen table.

Stefan put his right hand on his lips, while touching them and staring at her.

"**I'm sorry…I did not mean to scare you…"** He said to her.

"**Don't ever do that to me again…"** Caroline replied to him, while looking at him straight in the eyes.

He nodded his head, before lowering his sight, and staring at the floor. It was obvious to him, that she could not stand his touch anymore…Many years had passed, and he had abandoned her cowardly almost five years ago, she had all the reasons in the life to feel that way toward him. He was mad at himself more than anybody else, he had promise himself to not push her in any way…to try to explain his reasons for leaving, and more so, his reasons for coming back, that were way more complex than to save Elena…but he just had failed miserably! She looked so damn cute and sexy five minutes ago, that he could not have resisted kissing her.

"**I told you, if it is the house that you want back…Just say it, I could be out of your way in a couple of days…taking arrangement to pack my stuff and go back to my mother's house."** She said to him in an icy voice.

"**And I've told you that the house is yours, Caroline…Repeating it won't change my mind…You should know that about me already."** He responded to her, while crossing his arms on his chest.

She reached for the bowl on the wooded table, before taking one egg and angrily break it in the recipient…She needed to pass her anger on something…and this was the perfect something!

"**You've been ignoring my cell messages, text messages and e-mails for two days now…Since the last time, I've seen you…"** Stefan said to her.

"**I'm busy Stefan…I'm not the little Caroline who was in high school anymore, I've grown up…Maybe not in the human sense of the word…but, certainly in my head…So, I don't have time to play any game…I have a business, I'm working, and I am a foster parent also…so, If you don't mind me telling you, I won't have time to play the last Stefan's game of the year!"** Caroline replied harshly to him, while keeping her sight on her present cooking tasks, while giving him the uninterested speech.

"**So, you don't have five minutes in your busy day to discuss with an old friend…I thought we were friends, Caroline…Obviously, I was wrong… I'm being ditched, after almost five years away from you…"** Stefan replied to her.

"**You have some nerves, Stefan…"** Caroline mumbled in her teeth, while angrily beating the eggs with an eggbeater. **"…It's always you first, and then the others…Well…Take a number for once in your life, Salvatore…and accept that you are not the center of life of everybody!"** She lashed out at him, while dropping her utensil and staring at him.

"**Funny…"** Stefan started replying to her, while lowering his head with a sarcastic laughter. "…**because I remember of a time that I was the center of your universe, Caroline!" **

"**Go to hell!"** She replied to him, before directing her walk toward a kitchen cabinet, opening it, and pulling a bag full of sugar from the first shelf. **"..Now, leave my shop, and leave me alone, would you?" **She added to him, before putting the bag on the table, and continuing her cooking tasks.

He did not budge of an inch! She could see him for the corner of her eyes; he stayed still, his arms still crossed, in his standing position at the far edge of the table.

She raised her sight, before adding to him:

"**I said: Now!"**

"**And I say: No!" **He replied to her, with a devious smile on his lips and a stare of piercing eyes.

"**Fine…You want to stay here…and watch me make frosting…Fine! Suit yourself! I won't exchange a single word to you…" **Caroline screamed at him.

"**Fine….I stay and I'll be watching you then…"** Stefan replied to her, whit a sarcastic smile on his lips.

"**Fine…"** She screamed again at him, before turning her back at him, taking the bowl in her hands, and directing her walk toward an industrial giant mixer, in which she poured the mix into it, before putting others ingredients, milk, sugar, and cacao powder. She suddenly held her gesture, before closing her eyes in anger. He was now standing behind her, his chest glued to her back, his head almost resting on her shoulders, while looking at the mix in the mixer.

"**Interesting…So do you have a secret recipe or something? I saw that you have put butter in the mixer…is it your secret ingredient, Caroline?"** He firstly asked to her, without being answered, obviously. "**By the way, the cupcake you gave me the other day was very good…a bit sour in taste in the inside, but so sweet on the top, because of the frosting of course…A bit like you, Caroline, a fire of anger burning inside, and sweet passion hiding behind it…"** He murmured to her, his lips at a near inch of her right ear.

She closed her fists in anger, before elbowing him in the stomach to make him move away from her.

"**Ouch…Now, that is not fair game, cupcake…"** He mockingly nicknamed her, adding. **"I'm just being nice…Learning about your new work…Your secret recipes...You should be more thoughtful toward an old friend…" **

She did not budge of her guards, and certainly did not answer him. She walked toward the oven, opened the front door, before taking out a tray full of baked cupcakes.

Stefan reached to take one, before receiving a slap on the back of his right hand with her wooden spoon. Caroline took a sharp knife in her hand a second later, before pointing it at him, in a more than angry stare.

"**See, now… the look you are giving me and the knife in your hand that you are holding and pointing in my direction…put naughty images in my head…."** Stefan said to Caroline.

She started putting the cupcakes on a big glass tray, before taking from the fridge, a bowl of strawberry flavour frosting, which she had previously prepared in the day.

Stefan was watching her; every of her move was rapid, precise and well orchestrated. She obviously, knew what she was doing…He smiled while observing her, he was so proud of what she had accomplished…but even if he would tell her, she would not believe him.

"**You're putting a lot of hours in your work, aren't you?"** He asked her, without being answered, once again. **"It's been hell without you Caroline…"** He added, by murmuring it to her, making her raise her head and listen to him more carefully. **"I missed you…I missed you terribly…I've been a total ass toward you…And you're right, I thought only of myself." **

She paused, before taking the tray in her hand, and walking toward the industrial fridge. He followed her, and opened the front door of the fridge for her. She lowered her upper body, before sliding the tray inside and straightening herself up, before finding herself face to face with him.

"**There is not one day than I did not think of you, Caroline. Not one night, than I did not have an image of you in my mind, before falling asleep…You were my best friend, and you're still are…"** He whispered to her.

"**Well…Maybe you should put one ad in the local newspaper to find you a new best friend, Stefan…because I don't have a place available for you in my life now…"** Caroline whispered back to him, before gently pushing him, and walking toward the mixer position on the counter.

"**I know that you are mad at me, Caroline, and I deserve it…But, please, let me just explain some things to you…"** Stefan begged her.

"**I'm not mad, Stefan…"** She replied to him, adding. **"…To be mad, I need to care, and I don't! It's been years that I've stopped carrying about you…I'm just annoyed by your persistence, and more so…I don't have time for your empty speech today!"** She replied to him.

"**You don't mean that…"** Stefan said to her, while turning his head from right to left, continuing. "…**The Caroline that I know is sweet, considerate, loving…"**

A rage emerged in Caroline, she turned to look at him, while pointing a finger, and bursting into loud anger.

"**Fuck you, Stefan Salvatore…You're right, I've been a friend to you before, I've been to hell and back with you and for you…I was always there to help you…And I received what in return?"** Caroline asked him, while feeling tears running on her cheeks. **"I received a pat on the shoulders and a : It's been fun Caroline, you amused me for a while, but now I don't have any purpose for you…so, just go see if I am not elsewhere…or no, don't go elsewhere…Because, I will leave, and I won't give you any news for 5 fucking years!"**

Stefan stood still in front of her, his stare in her watery eyes, while closing his fists with anger. Anger against himself, and the way he had behaved toward the only woman who really understood him in his human and vampire life.

"**I'm sorry, Caroline…"** He whispered back to her, while approaching his right hand to swept away her tears from her cheeks. She pushed his hand away from her, before doing it herself.

"**I'm asking you, one more time to leave…"** She replied to him.

Stefan lowered his head, before nodding his head.

"**Ok…I'll leave…"** He whispered back to her, before directing slowly his walk toward the exit of the kitchen.

"**Thank you…"** She answered to him, making him turn to look at her one last time and realizing a wrong move that she was preparing herself to make.

"**Caroline, don't …"** He screamed at her, minute before the accident.

All nervous as she was, she has forgotten to stop the industrial mixer, and lift up the cover with her right hand, before being splashed in all her face and body by a large amount of chocolate frosting, with additional splashing on her counter, walls, and kitchen floor. She screamed from the top of her lungs, before sensing Stefan at her side, which rapidly pushed the off button on the machine.

"**Are you ok?"** He asked her.

She turned her face to look at him, the term "face" was maybe a bit exaggerated in this present case! Stefan could only see a chocolate mask, covering every inch of her skin.

Stefan put his right hand on top of his mouth, to hold his growing need to burst into laughter.

"**Caroline, are you ok?"** He repeated to her.

"**Mm…"** He heard her moaning to him.

"**Don't move, wait a second…"** He said to her, before reaching for a towel on the kitchen counter, opening the water faucet to wet the fabric, and get back to her standing position.

He passed the wet towel on her eyes and mouth very delicately, helping her to see, and obviously talk, without being forced to eat a large amount of chocolate frosting.

"**I'm ok…"** She responded to him, while taking the towel from his hands. **"…and stop laughing!" **

"**I'm not…I swear, I'm not…" **He responded to her, before bursting into loud laughter at the sight of her, lowering his upper body, to put his hands on his knees to hold the cramps in his stomach.

"**Oh…That is really classy of you, Stefan…I look like hell and you're laughing your ass off, while I'm covered with chocolate frosting…"** She screamed at him, while sweeping her face off of the chocolate substance.

"**I'm sorry…"** He whispered to her, before straightening himself, and looking at her with the biggest smile on his face.

She smiled back, before bursting into laughter herself.

"**What a mess…"** She said to him, while looking at her kitchen, adding. **"…I never, never do that usually…I know that I have to close it, before lifting the cover…" **

"**It's my fault, I distracted you…" **He replied to her.

"**It's ok…Don't worry about it…"** She answered to him, while cleaning the inside of her right ear.

"**Let me …"** He said to her, before taking the towel from her hands. **"…You have a little bit frosting in your hair…"** He added to her, while getting rid of it.

"**Thank you…"** She murmured to him, while raising her sight to look at him in the eye.

"**You're welcome, Caroline…"** He responded, while smiling at her, before caressing one of her cheek, and stare at her in the eyes.

It did not take long for him to felt a change in the attitude of Caroline. The way she was staring at him, the way she passed the tip of her tongue on her lower lips, in a secret demand to be kissed by him, the way she nervously put her hair in the back of her left ear.

She felt the change in him also, she could see the desire in his eyes, and she has seen it enough times in the past, to recognize it.

"**Don't …"** She whispered to him, in a prayer for him to not act on his impulse, but it was already too late.

He lowered his head, before crashing his mouth on hers in a hot passionate kiss, grabbing her hair with both of his hands, while devouring her lips like a man who's been famish after so many years of starvation, sliding his tongue between them, to enter this heaven of pure erotic pleasure, her mouth. She tried to pushed him away by putting both of her hands on his torso, but instead, she raised them on his chest to encircled his neck, and pulling him closer to her body…He rapidly lowered his hands on her back, before grabbing her bottom, and raising her up, making her instinctively crossed both of her legs around his waist, while never stopping kissing her. He took a few steps toward the kitchen island table, before sliding her on top and lowering his mouth on her neck, devouring each inch of her skin, while untying the knot behind her apron, before passing it on top of her head, and throwing it on the floor, crashing his mouth back on hers a second later. Caroline opened her legs, letting him slide his body between them, before returning his kisses, while grabbing his hair forcefully, before sliding her hands on his lower back, pulling his shirt out of his jeans, sliding her hands on his naked back, seconds later. He lowered his hands on her blouse, before opening the small buttons one by one, while playing and turning his tongue with hers in a playful erotic game in her mouth, he then let the blouse slide on her arms, before finally put his hands on her naked skin, in a mix of caressing and grabbing her. She opened his shirt also, before almost pulling it away from his chest, sliding her hands on his abs, and lowering her mouth on his neck, kissing and gently biting him.

"**Oh…Caroline, I missed you…" **Stefan started whispering to her, while closing his eyes, and enjoying her lips on his skin, adding in a murmur.** "…I missed us, I missed the way you make me feel, and when you make love to me…I missed you, sweetie…"**

She froze! How can she think so little of herself, and thrown herself in his arms like this? If he hadn't spoken to her…She would have probably given herself to him, now! But, his voice and his words had awakened deep scars in her. She pushed him away from her, before taking the blouse, thrown by him on the kitchen table, and putting it in front of her chest.

"**I'm sorry, I can't …"** She said to him.

Stefan grasped himself, while putting both of his hands on his waist, and passing a quick hand on his face and hair, before calming himself by pacing back and forth a couple of times in front of her.

"**It's ok…It's me who's sorry, Caroline, I'm rushing you into this…"** He explained to her.

"**I said, I can't Stefan, not now, not ever…It was a mistake…Two old friends remembering good old times!" **She responded to him.

Stefan stopped and looked at her.

"**You can't be serious, Caroline…Say anything to me, but that!"** He angrily replied to her, while continuing pacing back and forth.

"**Then…"** She started responding to him, while shacking and adding. **"…I will answer you that I can't because… I am with Tyler!" **

Stefan suddenly stopped his track, before raising his sight to look at her, before lowering and nodding is head.

"**I see…"** He responded to her.

"**I'm sorry…"** She answered him.

"**No need…"** He replied, lowering his upper body to pick up his shirt on the floor, before dressing himself. **"…Have a good evening, Caroline…"** He said to her, before leaving the kitchen, leaving Caroline speechless, with a hand that was holding her blouse in front of her chest, and the other one on her mouth.

* * *

><p>Caroline turned the key in her house's door, before pushing it, passing under the arch, and closing it behind her. She then laid her back on the wood, before closing her eyes, and taking a moment to regroup her thoughts. The day was finally over! She was simply exhausted…and she had the worst day ever…And to top it off…it had finished on a sour note! She started to move, and walking toward the parlour room, dropping her bags on the floor, before stretching her arms in top of her head.<p>

She heard steps behind her, and turned to see her mother entering the room, while wearing an apron and drying her wet cooking hands on a kitchen towel.

"**Oh sweetie…You're late…We were waiting for you…"** She said to Caroline, with the biggest smile on her face.

"**I know, I'm sorry mom, I should have called you…I had an accident in the shop kitchen, and I had to clean everything…it took me for ever…"** Caroline replied to her mother.

"**Oh…I know!"** Her mother replied to her.

"**You know? How can you know?" **Caroline replied to her, with a suspicious expression on her face.

"**How come you did not tell me? You should have called, Caroline…Thank God I made food for an army?"** Liz answered Caroline.

"**What are you talking about mom?"** Caroline asked her.

"**That Stefan is back of course!"** Liz responded to Caroline, at the moment Stefan was entering the parlour room with the most devious smile on his face.

"**Hello Caroline!"** He said to her, while smiling sarcastically to her.

Caroline froze on the spot, while loosing all the colors in her face, in a pure state of shock.

"**Stefan just arrived with his bags from his world tour…and he told me that he had passed to say hello to you before on the bakery shop, and he just drooped by to give me his regards…"** Liz started explaining to her speechless and froze daughter.

"**It was my pleasure…"** Stefan replied to Liz, while nodding his head.

"**Caroline, he was thinking of renting an apartment or a bedroom at a hotel, so I said: Absolutely not! You will stay in your house, in your previous bedroom, for the all duration of your stay in Mystic Fall, and you will stay for diner also…He was kind enough to land you his house several years ago…It was the least we could do for him, don't you think, Caroline!"** Liz finished explaining to Caroline who was still not moving.

"**Oh Liz, really…I don't want to impose on Caroline…"** Stefan replied to Liz, while titling his head to the left and smiling to Caroline.

"**Oh, it is not an imposition at all!"** Liz replied to him, adding. **"Caroline, are you ok honey, you're not saying anything…" **

Caroline was not saying anything, because she was thinking of different ways of killing that devil man! "I hate him!" She thought to herself, before raising her head and staring at him with a mad expression on her face.

"**I'm ok…I'm just tired mom…"** She angrily mumbled in her teeth.

A sound of a child running in the corridor and toward them was heard, before seeing Rose burst into the Parlour room.

"**Uncle Stefan!"** She screamed to him in joy, before being picked up in his arms.

"**Hey, Rose…How are you, sweetie?"** Stefan asked the little girl, while she was crossing her little arm around his neck.

"**Are you staying for diner?"** She asked him.

Stefan nodded his head to her, while touching the tip of her nose with one of his fingers.

"**I'm staying for dinner…and also for the night…and also for a couple of weeks!"** Stefan explained to Rose.

"**I'm so happy!"** Rose exclaimed, adding. **"It will be me, you, and Aunty Caroline, like a real family…" **

Liz smiled at their sight, and whispered to her daughter.

"**I can't believe how much they are feeling at ease with each other…Isn't it nice? At least with Stefan here for a couple of weeks, it will give you the chance to take care of your business, while he will be watching Rose…" **

"**I'll go to take a shower mom…I'm beat and tired, and I just want to eat and go to sleep…" **She whispered to Liz, while taking her bags on the floor, and starting to direct her walk to exit the room.

"**She is just tired…"** Liz murmured to Stefan, while turning to look at him and Rose. **"…I'm sure she is happy that you will stay with her…" **

"**I'm sure too…" **He answered Liz, while watching Caroline leave the room.

Caroline reached her upstairs bedroom, before closing the door behind her, dropping her bags on the floor, and reaching for her cell phone, she composed a number, and waited several rings before being answered.

"**Hello?"** A masculine voice answered.

"**It's me…When are you coming back home…I really need your help!"** She said to the man.

* * *

><p><strong>I am waiting impatiently to read your reviews guys<strong>**!**

I always enjoy answering each one of you.

Hope you enjoyed this second chapter of this sequel story.

I wanted their past strong link toward each other; to be put back on the table…Especially after the time they spend far away from one anther…and nothing put back everything into perspective than a good fight, followed by a good physical encounter, with some chocolate toping in top of everything! LOL! The humour was certainly back!


	3. If lies could tell

**AN****UNEXPECTED****LOVE****AFFAIR****-****PART****2**

Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

**New ****readers****:** I am strongly suggesting for you to read "**An ****unexpected ****love ****affair**** – ****Part****1**", before starting to read this sequel story

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 3<strong>

"**If lies could tell" **

Stefan got out of the shower, while passing a rapid hand on his wet hair, before straightening his arm to reach for a body towel placed on the towels holder. Last night, he had slept like a baby! It was nice to be back in his home after these last few years. His plan had worked like a charm! He knew that if he could enroll Liz around his little finger, it would be easy for him to stay in the boarding house. His main purpose now was that he needed to get through Caroline! He needed to talk to her…to explain to her…He needed time! Of course, she was not willing to give any to him; she was as stubborn as ever! They were cut in the same fabric…He knew her next move in advance without even thinking too hard about it…because she was like him! The perfect yang of his yin! And he had finally realized that! He took a few steps toward the sink cabinet, sweeping away with his right hand the mist off the mirror, before holding his movement, with a big smirk on his face. She was here! Actually, standing in his bedroom…Probably more pissed than yesterday night, when she had realized the fast one he had pull on her, by practically inviting himself to stay with her and Rose in what used to be his house. He took the towel in his hands, to wrap it around his waist, before holding his movement, and let it drop on the floor instead a second later, while smiling deviously to himself in the mirror. "Stefan Salvatore, you can be such a player when you want to be!" He thought to himself, before slowly walking toward the adjacent bathroom door.

He opened the door, and as he already knew, she was showing her back at him, with her arms crossed on her chest. He walked, naked, toward his bed.

"**Oh ****Caroline, ****good ****morning****…****Did ****not ****noticed ****that ****you ****were ****there****…****How ****are ****you, ****cupcake?****"** He mockingly asked her.

Caroline turned to look at him, before opening her mouth in shock, blushing, and turning his back at him once again.

"**You****'****re ****naked!****"** She exclaimed to him.

"**Well, ****yes, ****I ****believe ****I ****am!****"** He responded mockingly to her, taking a few steps to reach her standing position, lowering his head near her right shoulder, while gluing his chest on her back, and whispering his lips near her ear. **"****Nothing ****you ****haven****'****t ****seen ****before ****though****…****But ****the ****question ****is: ****Do ****you ****remember, ****Caroline?****"**

A burst of mixed anger and shyness emerged inside of Caroline, making her close her fists, walking toward the bed a second later, taking in her hands a pair of boxer that were lying on top of the bedspread, before throwing it in his direction.

"**Get ****dressed!****"** She ordered him to do.

Stefan grabbed the boxer in his hands, while looking straight at her, with the biggest smile on his face.

"**I ****did ****not ****knew ****you ****had ****become ****a ****prude, ****Caroline****…****Is ****it ****Tyler ****that ****is ****bringing ****this ****new ****side ****in ****you?****"** Stefan asked her, while slowly and seductively sliding his black boxer on his legs, before dressing his naked body, adding. **"****I ****remember ****a ****wilder, ****passionate, ****crazy, ****hot, ****Caroline!****" **He added while taking a few steps to reach her standing position.

"**I ****remember ****her ****also, ****Stefan!****"** She started answering him with pure anger in her voice, while crossing her arms in front of her chest as a protective mechanism against his near body proximity, adding. **"****The**** "****so ****sweet ****Caroline****"****, ****so ****understanding, ****always ****putting ****the ****others ****ahead ****of ****her ****own ****needs, ****and ****what ****happen ****to ****that ****so ****precious ****passionate ****Caroline? ****She****'****s ****been ****tossed ****aside ****by ****so ****many, ****but ****especially ****by ****you!****" **She explained to him, continuing**.**** "****So****…****If ****you ****have ****an ****ounce ****of ****decency ****left ****in ****you, ****you ****would ****stop ****making ****fun ****of ****me****…****and ****now ****that ****I****'****ve ****changed ****and ****grow ****up ****I ****am ****deserving ****of ****your ****respect, ****like ****I ****deserved ****it ****so ****many ****years ****ago****…****but ****you ****had ****preferred ****to ****fool ****me ****around ****and ****laugh ****at ****my ****face ****after ****playing ****with ****me****…****the ****little ****girl ****is ****grown ****up ****now, ****Stefan****…****Maybe ****it ****is ****time ****for ****you ****to ****do ****the ****same****…****And ****she ****is ****not ****willing ****to ****play ****your ****sick ****game ****of ****the ****month ****anymore****…****So ****I ****would ****gladly ****appreciate ****if ****you ****could ****leave ****the ****house, ****or ****tell ****me ****what ****is ****your ****game ****in ****all ****of ****this, ****because ****I ****can ****assure ****you ****that ****I ****will ****not ****play ****it!****" **

Stefan put his hands on each side of his waist while looking straight at her in the eyes. Who was this wonderful, strong, independent woman that was standing in front of him? She had changed so much since he had left…she had become a woman that he could not recognize anymore…he felt lost, and ashamed and angry with himself …because all that she just had said to him was in a way the truth!

"**There ****is ****no ****game, ****Caroline, ****I ****swear ****to ****you****…****Except****…"** He paused, lowering his head, before continuing. **"…****Except...That ****I ****enrolled ****your ****mother ****to ****help ****me ****stay ****here, ****I ****give ****you ****that****…****but, ****I ****needed ****to ****find ****a****way ****to ****talk ****to ****you, ****you ****are ****still ****refusing ****to ****do ****that ****with ****me****…****It****'****s ****been ****days ****now****…" **He said to her, while raising his right hand to caress one of her cheeks.

"**Don****'****t ****do ****that!****"** She asked, before pushing his hand away from her, taking a few steps away from him, directing her walk to the opposite side of the bedroom.

"**Why?****"** Stefan asked her.

"**Because ****you ****make ****me ****feel ****uncomfortable****…" **She replied to him. **"…****I ****am ****in a ****serious ****relationship ****with ****Tyler, ****Stefan!****" **

"**And ****why ****is ****that ****Caroline?****" **He asked her, while turning on himself to look at her.** "****It****'****s ****my ****presence ****here ****that ****makes ****you ****feel ****uncomfortable? ****Or ****is ****it ****when ****I ****touch ****you? ****You ****seem ****to ****be ****apparently ****more ****than ****disgusted ****by ****me, ****if ****I ****listen ****to ****your: ****Oh, ****so ****well ****rehearsed ****speech****…****So, ****make ****me ****understand****…" **He asked her, while taking slow, calculated steps to reach her new standing position. **"…****Because ****you ****see, ****each ****time ****I ****am ****near ****you, ****I ****can ****feel ****that ****you ****are ****shivering, ****I ****can ****feel ****that ****what ****you ****are ****saying ****to ****me, ****and ****what ****you ****are ****really ****feeling ****inside ****of ****you, ****are ****two ****different ****things****…"** He added to her, while taking a strand of her blond hair in his right hand, playing with it with his fingers. **"…****Like ****now!****" **He whispered, while lowering his forehead on hers, keeping his eyes locked with Caroline's**.**** "****I ****just ****want ****to ****be ****able ****to ****talk ****to ****you, ****explain ****a ****lot ****of ****things, ****Caroline****…"** He murmured to her, before lowering the back of his hands on her bare arms, creating goosepumbs all over her body. **"****See ****how ****you ****react ****with ****every ****of ****my ****touch****…****Is ****Tyler ****able ****to ****make ****you ****feel ****the ****same ****sensations?****" **He continued whispering to her.

Caroline closed her eyes; trying to get a grip on her mixed emotions…It has been so long without feeling his proximity…So many years without touching his skin…She thought, without realizing that her hands were sliding on his muscular chest in a slow caress, while opening her eyes again, keeping her stare fixated on her present gesture.

"**Caroline?****"** Stefan whispered as a question.

She blushed, stopped her movement on his chest, while keeping her hands on his skin, before raising slowly her stare, and looking at him in the eyes.

He took her chin with his right hand, before raising her head, and slowly lowering his lips on hers.

"**You ****want ****me ****to ****stop?****"** He murmured to her, his lips in top of hers, his eyes locked with Caroline's.

She did not responded to him, she kept her stare locked with his, giving him none verbal approbation to kiss her. He crashed his lips on hers, in a demanding and passionate kiss. She tried to pushed him away, as a reflex of keeping her dignity, by pushing her hands on his chest, but he encircled her waist and brought her in full contact with his half naked body, before raising her in the air, making her crossed her legs around his waist, and encircling his neck with her arms to keep her balance. He carried her toward the bed, before dropping himself on it, while maintaining her underneath him, his hands rubbing every inch of her body through her clothes, while his tongue was invading her warm mouth, and playing with hers in the most erotic ways possible. She was wearing a yellow tank top, with a white skirt. It did not take him long, to slide his right hand between her legs, slowly raising it on the inside of her thighs, while caressing the tender part of her skin, before reaching her feminine center, making her raised her pelvic in a silence demand for him to continue, before feeling his fingers gently caressing her folds through the sheer fabric of her panties.

"**Stefan****…****.****"** She said to him in a whisper, while turning her head from right to left, her eyes closed, her hands in his hair, feeling his lips sliding on the right side of her neck in mix of licking and kissing.

"**Mm****…"** He mumbled to her.

"…**We ****can****'****t****…"** She whispered to him, by contradicting herself by continuing to kiss him.

"**I****'****ll ****say ****we ****are ****pretty ****much ****doing ****it, ****Caroline****…"** He responded in a murmur on her lips, while cupping one of her breast through her tank fabric, while passing his thumb on her standing nipple. **"****No ****bra? ****Is ****it ****because ****I****'****m ****here?****"** He mockingly asked her.

"**Stefan****…"** She whispered to him again, adding**.**** "…****I****'****m ****with ****Tyler ****now****…****Please!****"**

"**I ****can ****honestly ****tell ****you, ****Caroline****…****That ****I ****don****'****t ****give ****a ****damn ****about ****Lockwood ****at ****this ****moment!****" **He said to her, before crashing him mouth back on hers, while rolling on her belly the bottom of her tank top.

"**Hello****…****.****" **They heard a little voice calling, before jumping out of their skins with surprise, making Caroline pushed Stefan away from her in an instant, while straightening her upper body on the bed in a sitting position in a matter of seconds.

"**What****…****What ****are ****doing ****here, ****Rose?****"** Caroline asked the little girl, pushing her tank top down on her skirt, while getting a glimpse of Stefan, who was reaching for his jeans, turning his back and dressing himself, before passing one of his t-shirt.

"**Watching ****you ****and ****Uncle ****Stefan ****kiss****…"** Rose answered her, while smiling and putting her little hand in front of her mouth to laugh.

"**Ok****…****Little ****mouse!****"** Stefan exclaimed, before walking toward Rose to pick her up in his arms, sitting her on his shoulder, while making her giggled. **"****You ****want ****Uncle ****Stefan ****to ****make ****you ****pancakes ****for ****breakfast?****"** Stefan asked Rose.

"**Oh ****yes! ****Can ****I ****have ****strawberries ****on ****top?****"** Rose asked Stefan.

"**You ****sure ****can!****"** Stefan answered her, while turning to look at Caroline, who was now standing in front of his bed with a guilty and worrying look on her face. He timidly smiled to her, while nodding his head to make her understand that he had took the situation under his control.

"**Are ****you ****coming, ****Aunty ****Caroline?****"** Rose asked her.

"**In ****a ****minute, ****sweetie****…"** Caroline answered her, before seeing Stefan leave his bedroom with Rose on his shoulders, and sitting on the bed one more time, while closing her eyes, and putting her right hand on her chest.

This could not continue …She thought that she could control her feelings around him, but she had mistaken her strength! And she needed to be honest to herself: She was still as much in love with Stefan Salvatore as five years ago! But…He was not in love with her! He never was! He was just here to reconnect for a brief moment with what used to be his life and helping Elena with the upcoming return of Klaus…and she was only convenient to him…Like she used to be in the past, a way for him to forget his problems! She had promise herself to never be treated that way again! And she needed to keep this promise to herself; she needed to keep him at arms length …For her own protection! And if this was not enough, Rose was adding a big part in the balance of her problems! Stefan had no idea that this little girl was his own niece…and no idea that Elena had left to try to rescue Damon! And even if in Caroline's book he was not deserving of a better treatment, she was feeling bad for lying to him! She knew how much Stefan love Damon, and how much Elena had counted for him…And probably still count in the present moment.

Now, her only hope was to discourage him to pursue her! But Stefan Salvatore was not that easily discouraged when he wanted something…And Caroline knew that! Her only hope was Tyler now!

* * *

><p>Caroline was sipping her coffee, while keeping her stare in the emptiness of the room and sitting at the kitchen table. From time to time she was giving a glimpse at the other side of the kitchen table, watching Stefan and Rose talk, laugh and play games with each other. She could feel knots in her stomach…This was almost unbearable to watch for her! She had promise herself to never be mixed in lies again! And yet again…She was in the middle of one for Elena! But, she also knew that she owed it to her! She needed to repay her the lies she kept herself in the past.<p>

"**Aunty ****Caroline, ****can ****I ****stay ****with ****Uncle ****Stefan ****today, ****Please?****"** Rose asked her, putting her little hands together as a prayer, while tilting her head to the right.

"For God sake…" Thought Caroline "…There was way too much of "Damon" in Rose!"

"**Ste****…****Uncle ****Stefan ****is ****probably ****very ****busy ****today; ****you****'****ll ****come ****with ****me ****at ****the ****bakery ****shop, ****sweetie****…"** Caroline answered the little girl, while getting up and putting her coffee cup in the kitchen sink.

"**I****'****m ****not!****"** Stefan answered her, while turning his head to asked Rose. **"****What ****do ****you ****want ****to ****do ****today, ****Rose?****" **

"**I ****want ****to ****go ****to ****the ****zoo!****" **Rose exclaimed, while clapping in her little hands.

"**Zoo ****it ****is ****then!****"** Stefan responded to Rose, while passing a hand in Rose's hair.

"**So ****cool****…****Thanks, ****Uncle ****Stefan!****"** Rose answered him.

"**I ****don****'****t ****think****…****.****"** Caroline started to say, before being cut by Stefan.

"**Caroline, ****please****…****It****'****s ****not ****a ****problem****…****You ****are ****busy ****and ****working, ****and ****I ****have ****free ****time****…****It ****is ****the ****least ****I ****can ****do ****to ****repay ****your ****hospitality.****"** Stefan said to her.

Caroline looked at him in the eyes, and only could see truthfulness in his saying and stare…He was not making fun of her.

"**Oh ****please, ****Aunty ****Caroline!****"** Rose asked her, with sad eyes.

"**Ok****…****Ok****…****For ****today, ****you ****can ****be ****with ****Uncle ****Stefan...But ****for ****now, ****just ****go ****brush ****your ****teeth****…"** She approved and asked Rose to do in the same sentence.

Rose got down of her kitchen chair, before running out of the kitchen. Stefan rise on his feet, and took a few steps to reach Caroline's position near the kitchen sink.

"**Leave ****it****…****I ****will ****clean ****everything!****"** He told her, while leaning his right side body on the kitchen counter. **"****Caroline****…****My ****only ****problem ****for ****the ****day ****is ****my ****feeding, ****with ****Rose ****who ****will ****be ****glued ****to ****me****…"**

"**Oh...Right!****" **She answered him, while reaching for a key in her skirt pocket.** "****In ****the ****cellar, ****there ****are ****a ****couple ****of ****blood ****bags ****in ****the ****fridge****…****I ****kept ****it ****closed****…****Especially ****since ****Rose ****is ****here!****" **

"**Thanks!****" **Stefan responded to her, while taking the key in his right hand. "**How ****do ****you ****manage?****"** He asked her.

"**I ****manage! ****That ****is ****the ****important ****thing****…"** She responded to him, while nodding her head, and taking a few steps to exit the kitchen, before turning and adding to him:

"**What ****happen ****this ****morning ****can****'****t ****happen ****again, ****Stefan! ****I ****know ****that ****I****'****ve ****been ****harsh ****to ****you ****since ****your ****return, ****but ****it****'****s ****because ****I ****wanted ****to ****make ****things ****clear ****between ****us****…****What ****happened ****between ****us ****in ****the ****past****…****is ****in ****the ****past ****now, ****Stefan! ****I ****am ****with ****Tyler ****now, ****I ****love ****him****…****And ****I ****want ****to ****try ****to ****build ****a ****life ****with ****him****…****And ****I ****would ****like ****for ****you ****to ****respect ****it****…" **She said to him.

Stefan kept his silent for a while, before nodding his head to her.

"**Ok****…****But, ****I****'****ll ****still ****want ****for ****us ****to ****be ****friends ****again; ****Caroline****…****I ****still ****want ****to ****explain ****some ****of ****the ****things ****to ****you****…****Could ****you ****at ****least ****give ****me ****that, ****for ****old ****time ****sake?****"** He asked of her.

She looked at him in the eyes, before nodding her head in approval.

"**OK, ****I****…****.I ****promise ****that ****I****'****ll ****listen ****to ****you****…****Soon****…"** She replied to him, adding. **"****Now, ****promise ****me ****that ****if ****you ****have ****any ****kind ****of ****problems ****with ****Rose, ****that ****you ****will ****call ****me ****at ****the ****bakery ****shop, ****ok?****" **Caroline asked him, adding once again. **"****I****'****ll ****try ****to ****get ****back**** early, ****I ****promise****…****.****" **

"**Scout ****honour!****"** Stefan answered her, with a sarcastic smile on his face, making the scout sign, while looking at Caroline's walk toward the kitchen exit, adding. **"****Caroline? ****Thank ****you! ****And****…****She****'****ll ****be ****fine,****she****'****ll ****be ****with ****me!****"** He added to her with a smile.

"Gosh, Stefan Salvatore…" Caroline thought in her mind. "…If only you knew who Rose is….And that being with you is really her safe place!"

* * *

><p>Caroline put the key in her house lock, before turning the door handle, entering inside, and lowering her back on the wood of the door, before closing her eyes. She was completely exhausted! She had a lot of customers at the bakery shop, and she thought that the day will never end!<p>

"**Aunty ****Caroline!****"** She heard a little girl voice calling, before seeing Rose running toward her standing position in the entrance. **"****Look!****"** Rose told her, while showing her a pink stuffed elephant. **"****Uncle ****Stefan ****bought ****me ****this ****at ****the ****zoo!****" **

"**He ****did!****" **Caroline answered her, making Rose nodding her head. **"****Well****…****Did ****you ****thank ****him?****" **

"**Yes****…****.And ****he****'****s ****making****… ****s****…****paghti for diner!****" **She exclaimed to Caroline, while making her smile.

"**Spaghetti, ****sweetheart****…"** Caroline pronounced to her, while caressing the little girl's head.

"**Did ****you ****have ****a ****nice ****day?****"** She heard a voice asking her, before raising her head to look at Stefan who was leaning the left side of his body on the wall, while crossing his arms in front of his chest, with a wooden spoon in his right hand, wearing an apron around his waist, and smiling at her.

She blushed at his sight…this was so strange to her! It was like coming back to her family after a hard day at work…Being welcomed by a gorgeous husband and a daughter.

"**It ****was a ****busy ****day, ****I ****had ****a ****lot ****of ****customers****…****But ****then ****again, ****I ****am ****happy, ****the ****business ****is ****running!****"** She answered, while smiling at him.

"**Well****…****I ****prepared ****the ****diner, ****I ****thought ****it ****would ****make ****you ****relax ****after ****your ****day ****at ****work****…"** Stefan added to her.

"**I ****appreciate ****your ****help, ****thank ****you!****"** Caroline answered him, while lowering her head to look at Rose. "**You ****want ****to ****go put your elephant in your bedroom****, ****sweetheart?****"**

"**Ok!****"** Rose answered her, before running toward the stairs.

Caroline took a few steps away from the entrance door, before standing in front of Stefan.

"**Thank ****you, ****it ****was ****nice ****of ****you ****to ****take ****care ****of ****Rose.****"** She said to him.

"**You ****are ****welcome, ****she ****is ****adorable!****"** Stefan answered her, adding. **"****Though, ****I ****have ****to ****confess ****that ****if ****she ****seems ****a ****bit ****hyper ****tonight, ****it ****is ****completely ****my ****fault!****" **

"**What ****did ****you ****do? ****You ****bought ****her ****ton ****of ****cotton ****candy?****" **Caroline asked him, while holding her laughter.

"**Yes, ****that****…****and ****ice ****cream, ****and ****chocolate ****bars, ****and ****soda****…"** Stefan answered to her.

"**This ****time ****you****'****ll ****be ****forgiven, ****Mister ****Salvatore!****"** She answered back to him, with a smile.

"**Well****…****Thank ****you, ****Miss ****Forbes!****"** Stefan answered with laughter. **"****I ****made ****meat balls ****spaghetti****…****I ****hope ****you ****love ****Italian?****" **

Caroline got rid of his jean jacket, before taking a few steps toward the parlour room, and throwing it on a chair.

"**Sounds ****good****…"** She answered him back **"…****Thank ****you!****"** She added one more time to him, while turning and looking at him in the eyes.

"…**There ****is ****no ****need ****to ****thank ****me ****none ****stop, ****Caroline?****"** Stefan said to her.

"**Well****…****You ****took ****care ****of ****Rose, ****helped ****with ****the ****diner****…****Just ****gave ****me ****an ****ernormous ****hand ****today****…****It****'****s ****appreciated!****" ** Caroline answered him.

Stefan nodded his head, while smiling at her.

"**If ****you ****could ****keep ****her ****occupied ****while ****I ****go ****feed, ****before ****the ****actual ****food ****diner!****"** She said to him, while blushing and passing near him, before being stopped on her track by the door bell.

"**I****'****ll ****get ****it!****"** Stefan told her.

"**No ****it****'****s ****ok, ****I****'****ll ****get ****it****…****.It****'****s ****probably ****my ****mom ****who****'****s ****bringing ****me ****foods ****again****…****She ****always ****think ****that ****I ****am ****starving ****to ****death ****or ****something****…"** She answered him back, while directing her walk toward the entrance door, before turning the door handle and freezing all her movements, while seeing Tyler in front of her.

"**Hey, ****Love! ****Missed ****me?****"** He asked her, taking a few steps to reach her, dropping a big traveling bag at his feet, encircling her waist with his left hand, while bringing her in full contact with his chest, grabbing her hair in his right hand to bring her face in proximity of his, before kissing her passionately on the mouth a second later.

Stefan who was directing his walk toward the kitchen corridor, hold his steps, turned and crossed his arms in front of his chest, while looking at the exchange and embrace between the two, while turning his head in negation.

"**Tyler!****"** Caroline exclaimed, while pushing him gently away from her. **"****What ****are ****you ****doing ****here?****"** She asked him.

"**Well****…****.****"** Tyler started to explain, while reaching for his travelling bag on his feet, and bringing it on his shoulders. **"****..I ****was ****supposed ****to ****finish ****the ****semester ****on ****Friday****…****But, ****I ****was ****able ****to ****take ****one ****last ****test ****earlier...So, ****here ****I****am, ****Caroline****…****Here ****to ****stay ****for ****good ****now!****" **He added to her, passing beside her, while caressing her left cheek, before dropping his traveling bag at his feet again, just in front of Stefan standing position.

"**Salvatore! ****Back ****in ****town ****as ****I ****c****an ****see****…****Here ****to ****cause ****troubles, ****or ****maybe ****trying ****to ****steal ****my ****girlfriend, ****what ****will ****it ****be?****" **Tyler asked Stefan, while putting his faces at a near inch of Stefan's, in a copy cat version of Stefan's standing position with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"**Tyler****…****So ****nice ****to ****see ****you ****again****…****And, ****if ****you ****insist****…"** Stefan started answering him, while lowering his head nearer of Tyler's in a confrontation gesture. **"...****And ****ask ****nicely, ****I****'****m ****sure ****it ****could ****be ****arranged ****between ****me ****and ****Caroline!****" **

"**Both ****of ****you ****please! ****You****'****re ****acting ****like ****children!****" **Caroline said to them, while approaching their standing position.

"**You ****are ****dreaming ****Salvatore!****" **Tyler answered him, while pushing Stefan on his chest with both of his hands, before lowering his head to look at a little girl who was standing behind Stefan's legs, mostly afraid, while grabbing Stefan with her little hands. **"…****Oh hi ****sweetie, ****I ****did ****not ****see ****you ****there, ****you ****must ****be ****Rose, ****I ****am ****Tyler, ****a ****friend ****of ****Caroline!****"** He exclaimed to the little girl, with a smile on his face, while lowering himself on his knees to be at her height.

Rose stayed behind Stefan, while keeping silent. Stefan reached for her little hand, before raising her in his arms.

"**It****'****s ****ok, ****sweetie, ****Tyler ****is ****one ****of ****mine ****and ****Caroline****'****s ****old ****friend****…****Aren****'****t ****you, ****Tyler?****" **Stefan asked mockingly to him.** "****He ****won****'****t ****hurt ****you!****"** Stefan added to Rose, while watching her hidden her face in the hollow of his right shoulder, before hearing her say in his ear, loud enough for Tyler to hear it:

"**I don't like him, Uncle Stefan…Make him go away!"**

"**Well****…" **Stefan replied to Rose, with the biggest sarcastic smile on his face.** "****That ****is ****not ****nice of you, ****isn****'****t ****it?****" **He added to her, while trying to hold his laughter, making Tyler crossed his arms in front of his chest in anger

"**What ****is ****it, ****sweetie?****"** Caroline asked Rose, while caressing her hair. Rose turned her head to look at Caroline, keeping her silence, before turning it back in the opposite side.

"**I ****think ****she ****is ****tired****…****and ****hungry****…" **Stefan replied to Caroline, while starting to walk into the corridor toward the back kitchen, adding. **"****Hope ****you ****like ****meat balls ****spaghetti, ****Tyler, ****because ****that ****is ****what ****we ****are ****having ****for ****diner!****" **Stefan said to him, while leaving a speechless Caroline and Tyler behind him, in the entrance corridor.

When this had happened? When did she loose all control over Rose to Stefan? Caroline thought to herself.

* * *

><p>Caroline pushed Tyler inside the room, entered herself, before half-closing the door, putting a finger on her lips, telling Tyler to keep silent…While lowering her ear on the bedroom door to listen.<p>

"**Ok****…****They ****are ****still ****in ****the ****kitchen!****"** She said to Tyler, before putting her hands on each side of her waist and adding. **"****What ****are ****you ****doing ****here, ****Tyler? ****You ****almost ****gave ****me ****a ****freaking ****heart ****attack!****"**

"**What ****am ****I ****doing ****here?****" **Tyler repeated to her, continuing.** "****It****'****s ****you ****who ****called ****me ****two ****days ****ago, ****like ****a ****damsel ****in ****distress ****asking ****me ****for ****my ****help: ****Please ****Tyler, ****you ****know ****how ****much ****I ****suffered ****because ****of ****Stefan, ****could ****you ****help ****me****…****Could ****you ****come ****back, ****could ****you ****made ****up ****that ****we ****are ****together ****for ****the ****time ****he****'****ll ****be ****in ****Mystic ****Falls****…" **

"**Yes, I know! But then you did not answer me back …You kept silent…and you hanged up on me, making me wonder?" **Caroline replied to him.

"**Yes****…****I ****hanged ****up ****on ****you, ****Caroline, ****and ****I ****was ****mad ****as ****hell ****that ****you ****would, ****once ****again, ****play ****games ****to ****get ****rid ****of ****him, ****after ****the ****way ****he ****left ****you ****all ****alone ****five ****years ****ago****…****I ****was ****mad, ****because ****five ****years ****ago ****you ****rejected ****me****…****and ****I ****quote: ****I ****will ****always ****love ****him,****Tyler****…****I ****can****'****t ****be ****with ****you, ****I****'****m ****sorry****…" **Tyler screamed at her, while explaining all his anger.

"**I****'****m ****sorry, ****I ****truly ****am****…****But ****you ****understood ****me ****at ****that ****moment****…****and ****we ****stayed ****friends****…****Are ****we ****friends,****Tyler?****" **Caroline asked him.

"**We ****are ****Caroline! ****And ****yes ****and ****no****…****I ****had ****to ****swallow ****the ****fact ****that ****this ****jerk ****was ****the ****love ****of ****your ****life, ****while ****I ****was ****tossed ****on ****the ****side ****by ****you! ****Who ****stayed ****with ****you ****all ****the ****nights ****that ****you ****were ****crying ****when ****he ****left? ****Me! ****I ****was ****the ****one! ****Only ****to ****been ****told ****that ****your ****heart ****would ****stay ****with ****him ****for****ever! ****And ****now****…****Five ****years ****later, ****you ****are ****asking ****me ****to ****help ****you****…****You ****are ****asking ****me ****to ****play ****the ****role ****of ****the ****loving ****boyfriend ****to ****push ****him ****away ****from ****you! ****Are ****you ****realizing ****how ****it ****makes ****me ****feel**** – ****and ****how ****hard ****it ****is?****" **Tyler asked her.

"**I ****do****…"** Caroline replied to him, while lowering her head, and trying to hold her tears, adding. **"****I ****panicked****…****I ****called ****you, ****and ****for ****two ****seconds****…****it ****was ****the ****only ****thing ****I ****could ****think! ****You ****deserve ****better, Tyler****…****I ****was ****selfish****…****I ****did ****not ****even ****consider ****that ****you ****could ****have ****a ****girlfriend****…****and****…****I****'****m ****sorry!****"** Caroline said to him.

Tyler looked at her, before nodding his head, taking a few steps toward her standing position, and taking Caroline in his arms, while starting to caress her hair.

"**It****'****s ****ok! ****For ****the ****record****…****I ****don****'****t ****have ****a ****girlfriend ****at ****the ****moment****…****.And ****if ****I ****am ****here, ****it ****is ****because ****I ****decided ****to ****play ****the ****role ****of ****the ****loving ****boyfriend, ****Caroline!****"** Tyler explained to her.

"**But ****why then?****"** Caroline asked him.

"**Because ****I ****can****'****t ****stand ****Salvatore, ****Caroline****…****And ****because ****I ****want ****to ****assure ****myself ****that ****you ****will ****never ****be ****with ****him!****" **Tyler said to her.

Screaming for the most part from the top of their lungs, they did not heard the little steps in the corridors, or noticed the little girl head and ear glued to the half closed bedroom door. Rose smiled, and started to run toward the stairs, before entering the dinning room.

"**Uncle ****Stefan****…****Uncle ****Stefan!****"** Rose screamed from the top of her lungs, while rushing toward him.

Stefan turned on himself before catching Rose in his arms.

"**Hey ****little ****mouse****…****Did ****you ****tell ****Caroline ****and ****Tyler ****that ****diner ****is ****served?****"** Stefan asked Rose.

"**No****…"** The little girl responded to him.

"**Rose, ****I ****asked ****you ****to ****go ****tell ****them ****that ****the ****diner is being served****, ****what ****did ****you ****do ****instead?****"** Stefan asked Rose with a false angry expression on his face, while tilting his head.

"**I ****listen ****to ****them ****while ****hiding ****behind ****the bedroom ****door****…"** Rose explained naturally to him.

"**Rose! ****That ****is ****not ****something ****that a ****good ****little ****girl ****do****…****This ****was ****a ****private ****moment ****between ****them!****"** He said to her, before raising one of his eyebrows and adding with a sarcastic smile on his face. **"…****And?****"**

"**The ****bad ****man****…"** Rose started explaining in her childish way.

"**Tyler?****"** Stefan asked her.

Rose nodded her head as approbation.

"**He ****said ****to ****Aunty ****Caroline ****that ****he ****wanted ****to ****play ****with ****her****…"** She said to him.

"**Oh****…****.****"** Stefan replied to Rose, while closing his eyes and trying to not burst into laughter. **"…****That ****is ****not ****for ****little ****girl ****to ****hear****…****It ****is ****something ****between ****adults, ****sweetie****…" **

"**Like ****when ****you ****and ****Aunty ****Caroline ****were ****kissing ****this ****morning ****in ****your ****bedroom?****" **Rose asked him, making Stefan laugh and blush.

"**Something ****like ****that!****"** He responded to her.

"**OK****…****.****"** She said to him, adding. "**So ****he ****will ****play ****the ****friend ****of ****Aunty ****Caroline ****as ****a ****game ****then?****"**

Stefan raised his head and eyebrows with questionable doubts showing on his face.

"**What ****do ****you ****mean ****by: ****he ****will ****play ****the ****friend ****of ****Aunty ****Caroline, ****sweetie?****"** Stefan asked the little girl.

"**He ****said ****that ****he ****will ****play ****with ****her**** …****and ****be ****his ****boy****…****..****"** She tried to explain to him.

"**His ****boyfriend****…"** He asked her, while seeing Rose nodding her head to him.

The biggest smile appeared on Stefan's face, before he lowered Rose on the floor.

"**Go wash your hands before eating, sweetie!****" **Stefan asked Rose, while seeing her nodding her head to him, before leaving the room.

Then he turned, putting his hands on each side of his waist, with the biggest smirk on his face, while saying to himself:

"**Ok Caroline, you want to play this game….Game on, sweetheart! But, I can assure you that it won't be in Tyler's bed that you'll end up!"**

* * *

><p><strong>I <strong>**can****'****t ****wait ****to ****read ****your ****reviews ****guys****!**

Hope you enjoyed this third chapter of this sequel story.

Awww the fun I am having bringing back Tyler to the mix! You have no idea!

Now the game is really on between Stefan and Caroline! Plus, in the next chapters, you'll know a bit more about Stefan's past five years…and what is in store for all of them!


	4. Heat wave

**AN****UNEXPECTED****LOVE****AFFAIR****-****PART****2**

Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

**New ****readers****:** I am strongly suggesting for you to read "**An ****unexpected ****love ****affair**** – ****Part****1**", before starting to read this sequel story

**Writer****'****s ****note**: This chapter is dedicated to my good friend **Monica**: I know how much you hate this pairing of Stefan & Caroline! I wrote a longer chapter this time around, as my gift to all my Staroline readers! I hope you will enjoy it. For the dance part, I listened to **"****Da ****La ****Vuelta****"** from **Marc ****Anthony**, while writing it, if you want to find the link to listen to it while reading the dancing part of the chapter, and be in the ambiance.

* * *

><p><strong>Excerpt from my crossover DELENA story: Whisper of the past<strong>

**Chapter 4: "MARKED FOR LIFE"**

**(Damon has renamed himself Alex after losing his memory - Elena is the unconscious victim)**

* * *

><p>Alex opened the bedroom door, before entering inside, and taking a standing position near the window, leaning his back on the wall, before reaching for his cigarette pack and lighter in his jeans back pockets.<p>

Ben had put his tools on the woman's dresser, with his ink colours, while plugging his drawing ink machine, before slowly sliding his hands into chirurgical gloves, and taking a bottle of alcohol.

"**What ****do ****you ****want ****on ****her?****"** He asked Alexander.

"**Draw ****my ****name****…****In ****a ****bloody ****red ****colour.****"** Alex asked him, while keeping his stare on Elena's laying half naked body on the bed.

"**Where ****do ****you ****want ****me ****to ****do ****it?****"** Ben asked him.

"**The ****entire ****length ****of ****her ****lower ****back, ****when ****she ****can ****reach ****it ****the ****less****…"** Alex answered him.

"**Permanent ****tattoo?****"** he asked Alex.

"**Yes!****"** He responded to Ben.

"**She****'****ll ****be ****marked ****with ****your ****name ****for ****life, ****Alex****…****Are ****you ****sure?****"** Ben replied to him.

"**Yes, ****I ****am!****"** Alex answered the bold man.

"**Ok****…****Then****…"** The bold tattooed man replied, while lowering the bed sheet, from Elena's back, and taking place near her, on the bed.

"**Will ****it ****hurt ****her?****"** Alex asked in a murmur, with a hint of remorse in his tone of voice, making Ben turned his head to look at him.

"**If ****you ****compelled ****her****…****It ****shouldn****'****t****…****But, ****when ****she ****will ****wake ****up, ****she ****will ****be ****soar ****and ****she ****will ****probably ****feel ****like ****her ****lower ****back ****skin ****had ****been ****burned ****a ****little****…****But, ****I****'****ll ****give ****you ****an ****antibiotic ****cream, ****she****'****ll ****have ****to ****put ****it ****twice ****a ****day ****for ****a ****while****…****And ****then, ****it ****should ****heal ****quickly!****"** Ben explained to Alex, adding. **"****You****'****re ****lucky ****my ****man ****that ****I ****have ****years ****of ****experiences ****with ****my ****hands, ****and ****can ****tattoo ****people ****almost ****everywhere ****and ****in ****remote ****location****…****You ****are ****still ****100% ****sure ****that ****you ****want ****to ****do ****this ****to ****her?****" **He asked him for a last time.

"**Yes!****"** Alex replied to him.

"**Then, ****count ****me ****free ****of ****any ****debt ****toward ****you****…****Our ****deal ****had ****nothing ****to ****do ****with ****humans ****who ****where ****not ****freely ****giving ****their ****approbation ****for ****this, ****Alex****…"** Ben said to him, while keeping his stare in his.

"**No, ****our ****deal ****was ****for ****me ****to ****save ****your ****human ****ass ****from ****a ****biker ****vampire, ****because ****you, ****as ****a ****human h****ad ****stolen ****his ****vampire ****girl friend!****"** Alex responded to him, while crossing his arms on his chest, with a mocking tone of voice.

"**I ****love ****Michelle!****"** Ben simply responded to him.

"**It ****will ****never ****work ****between ****the ****two ****of ****you ****my ****man, ****if ****at ****some ****points ****you ****are ****not ****turning ****for ****her****…"** Alex responded to him.

"**That ****is ****what ****you ****are ****planning ****to ****do ****with ****that ****one? ****Turn ****her?****" **Ben asked him, while nodding in direction of Elena's body.

"**You ****are ****free ****of ****debt****… ****You ****won****'****t ****ever ****hear ****from ****me ****or ****my ****men ****again!****"** Alex replied to him, without answering Ben's question.

"**Ok ****then****…****As ****you ****wish!****" **Ben replied, beforepreparing the tracing paper of Alex name.

Alex lighted up his cigarette, while taking nervously a few puffs, before placing his left forearm on the window frame, above his head, sinking his stare in the darkness of the night. Exact same body position of this morning, when Elena had woke up and he had said to her that before then end of the day she would truly understand that she was his! Alexander was a vampire man of his words!

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 4<strong>

**"HEAT WAVE"**

* * *

><p>The alarm clock started bursting the awful radio host voice in Caroline's ears: <em>"<em>_Good __morning __folks! __It __seems __that __we__'__ll __be __heading __ourselves __straight __into __a __heat __wave, __this __Sunday, __in __Mystic __Falls__…__Temperature __should __be __reaching __the __hundred __Fahrenheit, __with __a __very __high __humidity __factor__…__.__"_ She took her pillow, and angrily put it on her head, in a stupid belief that the voice would simply go away. Finally, she stretched her left arm, while pushing the snooze button, before smiling heavenly at the peaceful silence filling her bedroom, putting her pillow back under her head.

Her feeling of contentment was short live, when she heard a knock on the bedroom door, making her suddenly opened her eyes, and sit straight on the bed.

"**Yes?****"** She screamed nervously through the door, adding. "**Who****'****s ****there?****"**

"**Caroline? ****It****'****s ****Stefan.****" **He said to her, through the bedroom door, while winking an eye at Rose, who was standing beside him, adding. **"****I****'****m ****with ****Rose****…****Can ****we ****enter? ****Rose ****prepared ****a ****breakfast ****in ****bed ****for ****you ****on ****a ****tray?****"** He added, while hitting his right hand with the little girl's hand, as a gesture of connivance.

"**Just ****a ****minute!****"** She screamed from the top of her lungs, before taking her pillow in her right hand and throwing it in direction of Tyler's head, which was sleeping in an arm chair near the bed, making him jump, opening his eyes and looking at Caroline with surprise.

"**What?****"** He said to her; in a half awake state of mind.

"**Shhh****…****.****"** Caroline whispered to him, while putting a finger on her lips, showing him to keep quiet. **"****Stefan ****& ****Rose****…****Behind ****the ****door****…****Come ****quick ****in ****the ****bed!****"** She mumbled in a murmur, while showing him to hurry up with a gesture of her right hand.

Tyler rise on his feet, while taking unbalanced, sleepy, walking steps toward the bed, before hitting his big left toe on the wooden dresser.

"**Damn ****it! ****Ouch****…****.****"** He mumbled angrily in his teeth.

"**Quick!****"** Caroline whispered to him, adding "**Take ****the ****blanket ****off ****the ****arm ****chair****…****Put ****it ****on ****the ****bed!****"**

Tyler turn while reaching and grabbing rapidly the blanket, throwing it on the bed, and entering under the sheets with Caroline, while hearing the door being open.

"**Hi!****"** Stefan said to them, while passing his head and sarcastically smiling to both of them. **"****Can ****we ****enter?****" **

"**Sure!****" **Caroline replied to Stefan, feeling her cheeks warm up, while Tyler's right arm was wrapping her shoulders, her head on his chest, presenting the perfect image of the perfect couple.

"**Aunty ****Caroline!****"** Rose screamed from the top of her small lungs, while running into the bedroom and jumping on the bed, pushing Tyler, and sliding her little self between the two. **"****I ****made ****toasts, ****and ****put ****fruits ****in ****a ****bowl!****"** She exclaimed to Caroline with the biggest smile on her face, while ignoring Tyler.

"**You ****did?****"** Caroline responded to the little girl, while caressing her hair, and watching Stefan put the breakfast tray on the bed.

"**Yes!****"** Rose said to her, adding. **"…****With ****Uncle ****Stefan****…****And ****we ****put ****orange ****jelly ****on ****top, ****because ****Uncle ****Stefan ****says ****it ****is ****your ****favourite****…" **She added to her, making Tyler rolled his eyes on the ceiling.** "… ****and ****we ****put ****cream ****on ****top ****of ****the ****fruits!****" **

"**What ****are ****you ****doing ****here, ****Salvatore?****" **Tyler asked him, crossing his arms on his bare chest, while watching Stefan at the far edge of the bed, his arms on his waist with a smile on his face as he was watching Rose and Caroline together.** "…****You ****don****'****t ****have ****a ****place ****to ****be****…****Nothing ****to ****do?****" **Tyler added angrily as a question.

"**Good ****morning ****to ****you ****too, ****Tyler****…"** Stefan replied to him, while turning his head and smiling at him. "...**Did ****you ****sleep ****well?****"** He added to him, while taking a few steps to sit in the arm chair near the bed. **"****Is ****this ****new?****"** He asked Caroline, while raising an eyebrow.

"**Yes, ****I ****bought ****some ****new ****furniture for ****the ****house****…"** She answered to him, while lowering her head and blushing.

"**Wow! ****Nice ****arm ****chair****…****Someone ****could ****easily ****sleep ****in ****it ****all ****night ****and ****feel ****comfortable, ****you ****know****…****But, ****you ****two ****seem ****so ****comfortable ****in ****your ****bed ****right ****now!****"** Stefan replied to her, while smirking and winking at them.

"**Salvatore! ****Is ****there ****a ****point ****of ****having ****you ****in ****my ****face ****so ****early ****in ****the ****morning, ****while ****I****'****m ****enjoying ****my ****girlfriend ****in ****bed?****"** Tyler asked him.

"**Yes ****Tyler! ****In ****a ****matter ****of ****fact, ****there ****is****…****.****"** Stefan replied to him, adding. **"…****I ****helped ****Rose ****make ****the ****breakfast****…****She ****wanted ****to ****make ****amends ****for ****her ****bad ****behaviour ****toward ****you ****these ****last ****days****…" **

"**Oh ****ya? ****I ****can ****surely ****feel ****the ****warm ****up ****to ****me ****just ****now****…" **Tyler replied while looking at Rose's back in his face.

"**Rose, ****get ****out ****of ****the ****bed!****"** Stefan asked the little girl to do. **"****Let ****Aunty ****Caroline ****and ****Uncle ****Tyler, ****enjoy ****their ****breakfast****…" **

"**He****'****s ****not ****my ****uncle!****" **Rose answered Stefan, while crossing her little arms in front of her little chest, and pouting.

"**Rose****…"** Caroline said to her, in total disbelief of her bad attitude, before being cut by Stefan.

"**Now****…****That ****is ****not ****nice!****"** He replied to Rose. **"…****You ****told ****me ****earlier ****that ****you ****wanted ****to ****be ****friend ****with ****Uncle ****Tyler****…"** He added to the little girl, while trying to hide his growing amusement and reaching to pick up Rose in his arms from the bed, lowering purposely his chest near Caroline's sitting position, his face at a near inch of hers, while turning his head and staring for a short moment into her eyes, his mouth almost touching hers. **"****I****'****m ****so ****sorry ****for ****the ****inconvenience****…"** He whispered to her, making her blushed and raised her hands on his chest, as a protection mechanism, to gently push him away. He picked up Rose in his arms, and directed his walk toward the bedroom door.

"**Enjoy ****your ****breakfast****…"** He said to both of them, with a sarcastic smile on his face, before leaving the room, by closing the door behind him, leaving a speechless and frozen Caroline, and an angrier Tyler behind him.

"**Uncle ****Stefan?****"** Rose asked him, while being carry downstairs.

"**Yes, ****little ****mouse****…"** Stefan answered her.

"**Where ****are ****the ****five ****bucks ****you ****promise ****me ****for ****helping ****you?****"** Rose asked him, her little arms around his neck.

Stefan stopped in the stairway before sliding his right hand in his front jeans pocket, and taking out a bill of five dollars.

"**Here ****you ****go!****"** He said to her, while giving her the bill in her little hands. **"****And ****you ****are ****putting ****your ****money ****away ****to ****buy ****what ****exactly?****"** He mockingly asked her.

"**Mermaid ****Barbie...****"** She exclaimed to him.

"**Excellent ****choice****…"** Stefan replied to Rose with the biggest smile on his face.

* * *

><p>Caroline swept away the perspiration from her forehead…This had been the hottest day of all summer….She could have easily turn the switch off, inside of her vampire self…but she wanted to look as humanly possible for Rose. So, to help her cope with this insane hot temperature, she had put her hair in a ponytail, and she was wearing blue jeans short, and a yellow tank top. Unfortunately for her, the air conditioning in the boarding house was broken since several years…And because of her investment in her bakery shop, she had not been able to repair it yet.<p>

She was putting fresh washed laundry in a basket, when she saw Rose running toward her in the laundry room. She was so adorable with her little pink short, and her happy feet penguins t-shirt.

"**Aunty ****Caroline, ****can ****I ****have ****an ****ice ****cream ****cone****…****It ****is ****so ****hot!****"** Rose said to her, while lifting her little t-shirt to fan herself.

"**Why ****do ****I ****have ****the ****feeling ****that ****even ****if ****it ****was ****cold ****as ****ice, ****that ****you ****would ****ask ****for ****one?****" **Caroline asked the little girl, while stroking her little nose with one of her finger, making Rose giggling, before walking with the little girl at her side toward the kitchen.

Caroline opened the fridge, before giving an ice cream cone to Rose, and seeing her run, one second later, toward the downstairs living room, to watch her cartoons. She then directed her walk upstairs while holding her fresh laundry basket in her hands, before stopping in front of Damon's bedroom. The door was half opened; she pushed it and saw Stefan, who was sitting on the bed, while holding a photo frame in his hands. She entered, and slowly dropped her basket on the floor, before taking a few steps to reach the bed and his sitting position.

"**Hey!****"** She exclaimed, with a timid smile on her face.

"**Hey!****"** He responded to her, while shaking his head to let go of his nostalgia thoughts, adding. **"...****I ****did ****not ****see ****you ****there****…"**

"**I ****kept ****his ****bedroom ****exactly ****the ****same ****you ****know****…"** She said to Stefan, while sliding her hands, in her short back pockets, adding. **"****I ****only ****came ****to ****clean ****it ****once ****in ****a ****while.****"**

"**Thank ****you****…****But ****the ****house ****is ****yours ****now; ****Caroline****…****You ****can ****do ****whatever ****you ****want ****with ****the ****rooms.****" **He answered her, while smiling at her.

She took one more step before sitting beside him on the bed.

"**I ****never ****really ****felt ****like ****the ****house ****was ****really ****mine ****to ****start ****with, ****Stefan****…****It ****felt ****more ****like ****I ****was ****living ****in ****it, ****while ****waiting ****for ****the ****owner ****to ****take ****it ****back.****" **She firstly said to him, while putting her hands nervously on her knees, adding.** "****Why ****did ****you ****give ****it ****to ****me, ****why ****not ****Elena?****"**

"**Because ****I ****wanted ****you ****to ****have ****it****…****You ****were, ****and ****still ****are ****my ****best ****friend, ****Caroline!****"** He simply answered her, while turning his head and smiling back at her.

"**It ****is ****as ****good ****as ****a ****reason ****as ****any, ****I ****guess****…"** She responded to him, while lowering her head. **"****What ****are ****you ****having ****there?****"** She asked him, while nodding her head toward the picture frame that he was holding in his hand.

"**Me ****and ****Damon****…****.In ****one ****of ****our ****few: ****five ****seconds ****of ****being ****able ****to ****be ****near ****each ****other****…"** Stefan mockingly answered her.

"**You ****miss ****him ****don****'****t ****you?****"** Caroline asked him, while putting her right hand on his left forearm.

"**He****'****s ****gone ****for ****good ****Caroline****…"** Stefan replied to her, while passing a nervous hand on his face, and rising on his feet, taking a few walking steps to reach the man dresser to put the picture on its top.

"**You ****never ****know****…****Maybe ****one ****day ****he ****will ****remember****…****Maybe ****one ****day ****someone ****could ****make ****him ****remember?****"** Caroline responded to him, while shrugging her shoulders and thinking of Elena.

"**I ****know, ****Caroline, ****I ****know ****he****'****s ****gone ****for ****good****…"** He whispered, before lowering his head, and putting his hands on each side of his waist. **"****Oh, ****believe ****me ****I ****know****…"**

"**What ****do ****you ****mean ****by ****you ****know****?****"** Caroline asked him, while nervously robbing her hands together.

"**Where****'****s ****Tyler? ****Did ****he ****cut ****loose ****the ****leash ****around ****your ****pretty ****little ****neck?****"** He mockingly asked her, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**Really, ****Stefan****…****You are ****mocking ****my ****relationship ****to ****Tyler, ****now?****"** She asked him, adding. **"…****He****'****s ****with ****Ms. ****Lockwood, ****I ****mean ****his ****mother****…****So ****he****'****ll ****be ****gone ****for ****the ****entire ****day****…****I ****thought ****you ****needed ****to ****talk ****to ****me****…****So, ****I****'****m ****here ****if ****you ****need ****to ****talk****…****You ****can ****trust ****me!****"** She added to him.

Stefan kept silent for a few minutes, before finally let out what was eating him inside.

"**I ****saw ****him****…"** He whispered to her, while lowering his head.

"**You ****what****…****But, ****why ****haven****'****t ****you ****contact ****anyone, ****and ****most ****of ****all: ****Elena? ****Where? ****How? ****What ****happen?****"** Caroline mumbled almost incoherently, in a speedy sentence.

"**Two ****years ****ago****…****Pine ****City, ****Oregon, ****Very ****briefly****…****If ****I ****thought ****that ****my ****ripper ****past ****was ****bad****…****it ****was ****nothing ****in ****comparison ****of ****what ****he ****had ****become, ****Caroline****…****And ****as ****for ****Elena, ****she ****would ****not ****have ****accepted ****what ****I****'****ve ****seen ****of ****him.****"** Stefan replied to her, before drifting into the past.

* * *

><p><em>Two years ago<em>

_Pine City – Small bar – Near midnight_

_Oregon, near Snake River_

_Stefan entered the dark and smoky bar, while directing his walking steps to reach the counter, he was exhausted…He did not fed himself for several hours…And he needed something strong to help him find the courage to go hunting for animal blood in the forest. Since he had left Mystic Fall in this pilgrimage of trying to find his brother and regain his soul from his ripper past, he had only slipped a couple of times, and every time, it is with anger and determination that he had tried to get a grip on his humanity and fight his growing need to be Stefan the Ripper once again. _

_He dropped at his feet his backpack and traveling bag, while passing a hand on his face, his beard of several weeks scratching his fingers. He really needed to shave himself. He took a sitting position on a bar stool._

"_Whisky, please…" He demanded to the man who was standing behind the counter, before finally raising his head to look at the barman in front of him. The man had drops of sweat on his face, wide scared eyes, and shaking hands. It is at that moment that he realized what was happening in this place, by taking a quick look at the room, in the mirror placed behind the bar counter, on the wall in front of him. Several vampires had taken possession of the bar, and were enjoying, an all including buffet of human blood at the present moment! _

"_Help…" The barman murmured in his teeth, as a last attempt to save his own skin, before sliding to him, with his right shaky hand, a small glass of whisky on the counter. _

_Stefan slowly nodded his head, to calm the man down, while perfectly knowing that the man would probably not live to see the night, before slowly turned to face two biker's vampire men who were standing arms crossed behind him. _

"_Well, hello folks!" Stefan said, while smiling to them. "Just here to have a drink…Don't want any problem…" He added to the vampires. _

"_He's a vampire, boss…" One of them shouted to a man, who was sitting in a very dark corner of the room, with his diner on his knees, while gulping the open throat of a woman, before rising on his feet, snapping the woman's head away from her body, while carrying his carnage with him, leaving traces of blood on floor with each of his walking steps, finally reaching Stefan's bar position, before putting the woman's head on the bar counter. _

"_It's a private party!" Stefan heard the man's voice said to him, before raising his head and facing Damon!_

"_Shot of Tequila…." Damon lashed out at the barman, while turning his head to take a rapid glimpse at Stefan, who kept his head down. "Private party…Meaning you take your vampire ass elsewhere!" He added to him, while screaming at the barman. "Hey…I want it now! Move! Or do you want to be my next trophy on the bar counter!" _

_Stefan could almost feel his heart beat again…After three years of searching for him, his brother was finally standing in front of him! Or he should say a pale resemblance image of what his brother Damon used to be. The man in front of him had none humanity left inside of him; it was simply an empty soul with only the worst demonic and sadistic instincts to keep him alive. The reverse curse had ripped his brother in pieces! _

_Physically, he was the same…Except that his hair were longer, on the shoulders now…He was wearing an AC/DC t-shirt, a ripped black jeans, biker boots with silver fins, and leather bracelets on each wrists. _

"_You're still sitting there vampire, are you deaf?" Stefan heard his brother asked him. _

"_Just enjoying my drink…" Stefan responded to Damon, while raising his glass to his mouth._

_In a matter of second, his entire body was projected into the left wall of the bar, and he was lying on the floor, before being grabbed by the throat, his body elevated on the wall. _

"_Now…It's been a long time since I ripped out a heart of a vampire from his chest…." Damon angrily said to him, while for a split second, as Stefan noticed, Damon seemed shaken while looking at him, with a veil of interrogation in his eyes, like a "deja view" feeling. But, it did not last, and the emptiness in Damon's eyes came back as quickly as it left. _

"_Alex, let him go!" _

_Stefan heard a voice calling his brother, from an older bearded vampire man, who was limping because of one injured leg, while being released from Damon's grip, and dropped on the floor like a bag of potatoes for the second time, before being pushed out of the bar by his thugs vampire men, with his bags thrown on the street near him._

* * *

><p>"<strong>Oh <strong>**my ****God****…"** Caroline exclaimed after hearing the story, while putting a hand on her chest, and suddenly rising on her feet, adding. **"****How ****bad ****is ****he?****" **

"**Real ****bad, ****Caroline****…" **Stefan answered her, while starting pacing back and forth in front of her.

"**Why ****didn****'****t ****you ****say ****something ****to ****me?****"** She angrily exclaimed at him, while copying his own back and forth pacing, with her arms crossed in front of her chest.

"**Why? ****Are ****you ****kidding ****me?****"** Stefan exclaimed also, while opening his arms in front of her, in pure disbelief of her saying, adding. **"****Caroline! ****You****'****re ****the ****most ****stubborn ****woman ****that ****I ****know****…****I****'****ve ****been ****trying ****to ****talk ****to ****you ****since ****I ****came ****back ****to ****Mystic ****Falls****…****But, ****you****'****ve ****been ****slapping ****the ****door ****on ****my ****face, ****every ****chance you ****got!****" **

"**What? ****Stefan, ****this ****is ****not ****talking ****to ****me, ****while ****drinking ****tea ****and ****eating ****cupcakes, ****this ****is ****like ****red ****flag ****emergency ****TALK!****"** Caroline busted at him.

"**Caroline****…****.****"** Stefan called her, while stopping her pacing around, and putting his hands on both of her shoulders to calm her down, adding. **"…****He ****will ****never ****come ****here, ****you****'****re ****safe****…****He ****completely ****lost ****his ****memory, ****and ****he ****goes ****by ****the ****name ****of ****Alex ****now.****" **

"**But, ****for ****the ****sake ****of ****argument****…" **Caroline mumbled nervously to him, adding.** ..."****If ****one ****of ****us ****would ****meet ****him, ****and ****would ****want ****to ****make ****him ****remember, ****what ****would ****happen?****"**

Stefan closed his eyes, while shaking his head from right to left, before letting go of Caroline.

"**You ****would ****not ****hold ****a ****chance ****against ****him, ****even ****as ****a ****vampire, ****Caroline****…****He****'****s ****like ****the ****worst ****incarnation ****of ****the ****devil****…****He****'****s ****strong, ****fearless ****and ****sadistic****…****Probably ****have ****the ****strength ****of ****an ****Original ****vampire, ****mixed ****with ****an ****empty ****soul ****and ****no ****conscience****…****He ****would ****kill ****a ****human ****in ****a ****second.****"** Stefan explained to her.

"**Oh ****my ****God****…****.****"** Caroline whispered, while feeling tears in her eyes, all her present thoughts directed at Elena.

"**But, ****he ****would ****never ****come ****back ****here, ****Caroline!****"** Stefan assured her one more time, while holding her face in his hands, before caressing her hair. **"****He ****doesn****'****t ****remember ****who ****he ****was****…"**

"**So, ****like ****Elijah ****and ****his ****warlock ****friend ****Charles ****said, ****many ****years ****ago, ****there ****is ****absolutely ****no ****hope ****to ****have ****Damon ****back, ****then?****"** Caroline asked him, while putting her hands on his forearms. **"****Stefan, ****answer ****me****…"** She added to him, while debating in her head if she should tell him about Elena werebouts and Rose? Two options: waiting for him to confess that it was impossible to bring Damon back, and tell him the truth…or having him confirm that there was still a slim chance, which would give the time to Elena to at least try.

"**I**** … ****I ****had ****the ****feeling ****that ****for ****a ****split ****second****…****He ****felt ****like ****he ****knew ****me ****from ****somewhere****…"** Stefan replied to her.

"**You****'****re ****sure?****" **She asked him, seeing Stefan nodding his head to her, before adding.** "****Ok ****then, ****it****'****s ****a ****start****…****Did ****you see ****him ****again ****after ****this ****encounter?****"**

Stefan shook his head in negation.

"**Kept ****following ****his ****trail ****for ****years****…****But****…****Never ****was ****able ****to ****see ****him ****again****…"** He confessed to her.

"**There ****still ****hope, ****Stefan****…****.****"** Caroline said to him, while seeing him nodding his head to her.

Then, thought Caroline, if there was still a slim chance that Damon had felt something with Stefan in front of him, maybe Elena would be able to break him free from the curse…After all, he found her in Boston. He must have remembered who she was, or at least, had inside himself some kind of memories of her.

"**Caroline, ****Stefan?****"** They heard a voice called them, making them turned her head to look at the bedroom door.

"**In ****here, ****Mom****…"** Caroline screamed, while pushing herself away from Stefan, and getting a grip on herself.

"**Hi, ****you ****two****…****Rose ****told ****me ****that ****you ****were ****upstairs****…****.How ****are ****you ****Stefan?****"** Liz asked him, while entering the bedroom.

"**I****'****m ****good ****Liz, ****and ****yourself?****"** Stefan asked, while smiling at her.

"**Sweating ****like ****a ****pig****…****I ****had ****to ****take ****the ****work ****shift ****of ****a ****colleague ****this ****Sunday, ****and ****this ****uniform ****is ****not ****helping ****this ****heat ****wave.****" **Liz explained to him, while turning to address herself to Caroline.** "****It ****was ****my ****pause, ****so ****I ****brought ****you ****fresh ****fruits ****and ****vegetables****…****I ****put ****the ****bag ****in ****the ****kitchen!****" **

"**She****'****s ****thinking ****that ****I ****will ****make ****Rose ****starving ****to ****death!****" **She said to Stefan while rolling her eyes, making Stefan smile.

"**None ****sense****…****I ****know ****how ****busy ****you ****are ****with ****the ****bakery ****shop ****in ****the ****week****…****And ****I ****wanted ****to ****help, ****Caroline.****"** She explained to both of them, adding with a smile. **"****And****…****I ****wanted ****to ****invite ****you ****for ****a ****picnic,**** "****Latino ****style****"****, ****in ****my ****backyard ****tonight...****"**

"**A ****Latino ****picnic, ****that****'****s ****unusual****…" **Caroline said to her mother, while smiling and winking at Stefan. **"****What****'****s ****the ****occasion?****" **

"**Remember ****the ****Thompson?****" **Liz asked her.

"**Mom****'****s ****neighbours****…" **Caroline explained to Stefan.

"**Well, ****they ****moved ****out ****to ****Atlanta****…****.And, ****a ****nice ****Cuban ****family ****bought ****the ****house****…****So, ****I ****took ****the ****initiative ****of ****inviting ****them, ****and ****their ****close ****family ****for ****a ****picnic ****in ****the ****backyard ****tonight, ****as ****a ****welcome ****gesture****…****It ****is ****way ****too ****hot ****to ****stay ****cooked ****up ****inside****…****I ****thought ****it ****would ****give ****the ****opportunity ****for ****Rose ****to ****meet ****children ****of ****her ****own ****age****…****and ****for ****you ****to ****take ****a ****time ****off ****for ****a ****chance****…" **Liz said to her daughter, adding.** "****Stefan, ****I ****hope ****you ****can ****join ****us?****"**

"**A ****Mystic ****Falls ****event ****that ****won****'****t ****be ****held ****by ****the ****Lockwood, ****count ****me ****in ****Liz!****" **Stefan answered Liz, in a mocking tone of voice.

"**Caroline?****"** Liz asked her daughter.

"**I ****don****'****t ****know ****mom****…****It ****sounds ****nice****…****but, ****Tyler ****is ****back****…****and****…"** Caroline said to her mom, while trying to safe herself from having to go to this summer picnic especially with Stefan!

"**She****'****ll ****be ****there****…"** Stefan said to Liz, while adding. **"****I****'****ll ****bring ****both ****of ****them ****with ****me!****"**

"**Then ****it****'****s ****settled!****"** Liz said to both of them, while walking to reach the arch of the bedroom door, before turning and adding with a smile. **"****See ****you ****both ****tonight****…"**

"**Ok ****then****…"** Caroline said to Stefan, while feeling awkward all of a sudden. **"****I ****have ****a ****lot ****of ****stuff ****to ****do ****before ****tonight****…"** She added to him, before picking up her laundry basket, and directing her walk toward the bedroom exit.

"**Caroline?****"** Stefan called her.

"**Yes?****"** She said, while turning to look at him, a hand placed on the arch door.

"**Thank ****you ****for ****listening ****to ****me, ****and ****being ****my ****friend, ****like ****we ****used ****to ****be ****for ****each ****other ****in ****the ****past****…"** He sincerely thanked her.

"**Any****time, ****Stefan****…"** She replied to him, with a smile on her face, adding. **"****Keep ****faith ****that ****Damon ****will ****come ****back ****to ****us****…"**

* * *

><p>Rose was lying on her belly on Caroline's bed, while holding her little head in her little hands.<p>

"**Look ****at ****you ****Missy**** …****With ****your ****beautiful ****white ****skirt ****and ****lace ****top, ****and ****flowers ****band ****in ****your ****hair****…****Aren****'****t ****you ****looking ****like ****a ****little ****princess.****"** Caroline said to Rose, who was giggling none stop, before turning on herself and standing in front of her open wardrobe, in her underwear.

"**Ok****…****It ****is ****hot ****as ****hell ****outside, ****what ****should ****I ****wear?****"** She asked herself, while crossing her arms in front of her chest, adding. **"****Best ****choice: ****pink ****tank ****top,**** white ****Capri ****pants****…****What ****do ****you ****think, ****Rose?****" **

Rose jumped out of the bed, before walking toward Caroline's standing position, and showing a red, bare shoulders, silk, sundress to Caroline.

"**This ****one, ****Aunty ****Caroline, ****It****'****s ****pretty**** …****Uncle ****Stefan ****will ****like ****that ****dress!****"** Rose said to her, while nodding her little head.

"**Oh****…****He ****will, ****will ****he?****"** Caroline responded to Rose, with a mocking tone of voice, adding. **"****But ****it ****is ****too ****pretty ****for ****a ****picnic, ****sweetie****…****A ****cute ****pink ****tank ****top, ****and ****white ****Capri ****pants ****are ****more ****suited ****for ****this****…" **She explained to Rose while putting her choice of clothes on the bed, before taking place at her dressing table to brush her hair.

"**But ****I ****am ****wearing ****a ****skirt?****"** Rose replied to her, whit a pouting expression on her face.

"**Yes, ****but ****little ****girl ****can ****wear ****dress ****and ****skirt ****all ****the ****time ****if ****they ****want, ****especially ****if ****they ****are ****little ****princess ****like ****you****…" **Caroline responded to Rose.

"**I ****want ****you ****to ****wear ****the ****red ****dress ****too****…" **She heard a voice say, making her startling and turning, before noticing Stefan with his left side body leaning on the arch door, arms crossed on his chest. She got up and reached for a silk dressing gown.

She closed the belt of her dressing gown, before raising her stare at him. God, he was looking so handsome and sexy tonight! He was wearing a dark black trouser, with a black silk man shirt, that he had kept the first buttons open on his chest, and he had also rolled the sleeves on his forearms.

"**Uncle ****Stefan****…"** Rose exclaimed, while running toward him, before being picked in his arms.**"****I ****want ****Aunty ****Caroline ****to ****wear ****the ****red ****dress ****too****…****But, ****she ****wants ****to ****wear ****ugly**** clothes!****" **Rose explained to him.

"**Hey, watch your mouth, young lady!****"** Caroline exclaimed at Rose, before adding. "**They ****are ****pretty ****and ****practical ****clothes!****"**

Rose shook her head to Stefan, while rolling her eyes, making him burst into laugher.

"**You ****two ****are ****really ****made ****for ****each ****other, ****you ****know!****"** Caroline exclaimed, while putting her hands on each side of her waist.

"**Caroline, ****wear ****the ****red ****dress.****"** Stefan told her.

"**Why? ****Because ****you ****said ****so****…"** Caroline asked him, while tilting her head to the right.

"**Yes, ****exactly ****because ****I ****am ****asking ****you ****to ****wear ****it!****"** Stefan responded to her, while keeping his eyes locked with her for a short moment, making her blushed and turned her sight away from his glare. **"****We****'****ll ****be ****waiting ****for ****you ****downstairs****…"** He added to her, while winking at her and closing the bedroom door.

"**Uncle ****Stefan?****"** Rose asked him, while tilting her head. **"****I ****told ****Aunty ****Caroline ****to ****wear ****the ****red ****dress ****like ****you ****told ****me****…" **

Stefan smirked at the little girl, before reaching for another five dollars bill in his trousers pants pocket.

"**At ****that ****pace, ****little ****mouse, ****you****'****ll ****have ****me ****broke ****by ****the ****end ****of ****the ****day!****"** Stefan said to Rose, making her put her little right hand in front of her mouth, to hide her laughter.

"**But ****I****'****ll ****have ****my ****Mermaid ****Barbie ****soon****…"** She replied to him.

"**No ****kidding!****"** Stefan answered her.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Rose! <strong>**Be ****careful****…"** Caroline screamed at the little girl, while seeing her run toward her mother's house. "**She****'****s ****not ****listening****…"** She added while closing her passenger door.

"**She****'****ll ****be ****fine****…****your ****mother****'****s ****house ****is ****not ****even ****five ****houses ****away****…****Most ****of ****the ****time, ****she ****is ****actually ****listening ****to ****you!****"** Stefan said to Caroline.

"**No****…****She ****listens ****to ****you****…****Because ****God ****forbid ****she ****has ****the ****biggest ****crush ****on ****her ****Uncle ****Stefan!****"** Caroline answered him, while rolling her eyes, and taking a box of fresh cupcakes from the back of the truck.

"**Don****'****t ****tell ****me ****that ****you ****are ****jealous ****of ****a ****five ****year****'****s ****old ****little ****girl?****"** Stefan asked Caroline, with a mocking tone of voice, while tilting his head, both of his hands in his trousers front pockets.

"**Course ****not!****"** Caroline answered him, while hitting his upper right arm with her left fists, falsely mad at him, adding. **"****I ****am ****actually ****happy ****that ****you ****and ****Rose ****are ****getting ****along****…"** She confessed, while walking side by side on the sidewalk.

"**She****'****s ****adorable, ****what****'****s ****not ****to ****like****…"** Stefan answered Caroline. **"****..But ****she ****is ****not ****the ****prettiest ****girl ****tonight****…****.****"** He added to her, while sliding his sight slowly on her sexy figure.

"**I****'****m ****way ****over ****dressed ****for ****tonight****…" **Caroline replied to him, while lowering her head, feeling that she was blushing intensively.

"**It****'****s ****a ****beautiful ****hot ****summer ****night, ****it ****was ****the ****perfect ****dress ****choice****…****.And ****I****'****m ****a ****lucky ****man****…****I ****have ****two ****beautiful ****women ****on ****each ****arm****…"** Stefan replied to her, with a smile on his face, adding. **"…****And ****actually, ****you****'****ll ****be ****surprised****…****Cuban ****culture ****is ****a ****very ****proud ****one! ****Cuban ****people ****always ****dress ****nicely ****for ****every ****occasion****…****They ****love ****to ****party ****with ****class!****" **

"**How ****do ****you ****know**** so ****much ****about ****Cuban ****Culture, ****Mister ****Salvatore?****" **Caroline asked him, more than surprised.

"**I ****was ****in ****Cuba, ****many ****years ****ago****…****1952****…****If ****I ****remember ****correctly, ****just ****before ****the ****Cuban ****revolution****…****.****" **Stefan explained to her.

"**You ****were?****"** She exclaimed.

"**Yes! ****For ****a ****brief ****moment****…****I ****actually ****learned ****how ****to ****Salsa ****dance ****there****…****In ****Cuba ****there ****is ****no ****inhibition, ****the ****dance ****is ****freeing ****you ****of ****any ****kind****…" **Stefan added to her, with a smile.

"**I****'****m****…****I****'****m ****sorry!****"** Caroline said to him, while trying to hide her growing amusement, and holding his arms to make him stop. **"****You ****learned ****what? ****The ****Stefan ****Salvatore ****who ****was ****almost ****hiding ****in ****the ****bathroom ****in ****each high ****school ****dance; ****because ****he ****was ****afraid ****to ****dance****…****woooo****…****I****'****m ****so ****scare ****to ****dance!****" **She added to him, while making scaring noises.

"**Well****…****Aren****'****t ****you ****exaggerating ****a ****little ****bit, ****Miss ****Forbes?****" **Stefan said to her, while smiling and crossing his arms in front of his chest, adding**.**** "****I ****was ****not ****hiding ****for ****say****…****I ****was ****saving ****the ****pride ****of ****the ****poor ****guys ****present ****from ****being ****embarrassed ****by my knowledge of ****dancing.****" **Stefan explained to her, before seeing her burst into loud laugher, while holding her stomach.

**"****Please ****stop ****or ****I****'****ll ****die ****of ****laughter!****"** Caroline answered to him.

"**Caroline ****Forbes ****you ****are ****so ****going ****to ****eat ****your ****words ****before ****the ****night ****is ****over!****" **Stefan warned her, while nodding his head.

"**Yes, ****of ****course****…****Lord ****of ****the ****dance!****"** She busted to him, in laughter, adding. **"****I ****still ****remember ****our ****dance ****in ****Richmond, ****five ****years ****ago****…" **She added to him in laughter, while lowering her head a moment later, in the awkwardness of the moment…The past events had never really been discussed between them, adding. ** "****I****'****m ****sorry; ****I ****should ****have ****not ****brought ****up ****that past ****event.****"**

"**I ****don****'****t ****mind****…****It ****was ****a ****country ****type ****of ****dance, ****and ****I ****knew ****nothing ****about ****that****…****But ****Salsa, ****I ****know ****a ****lot!****" **He added to her with a smile, while lowering his head near hers.

"**Course ****you ****do!****"** Caroline responded to him, while trying to keep a serious expression on her face, before bursting into laughter another time, and directing her walk toward her mother's house entrance.

"**You****'****re ****going ****down, ****Forbes! ****Before ****the ****night ****is ****over ****you****'****ll ****be ****dirty ****dancing ****in ****my ****arms!****"** Stefan murmured to himself, the biggest smirk on his face, before reaching the front entrance of the house.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Oh<strong>**…****It****'****s ****so ****hot!****"** Liz whispered to Caroline, while passing a hand on her forehead.

"**They ****say ****it ****will ****rain ****before ****the ****night ****is ****over, ****that ****should ****help ****clear ****the ****humidity****… **Caroline said to her mother, adding.** "…****You ****want ****me ****to ****help ****you ****carrying ****the ****punch ****bowl?****"**

"**Oh ****please ****sweetie, ****if ****you ****could ****put ****the ****bowl ****on ****the ****table, ****right ****there****…"** Liz asked her, while nodding her head and adding. **"…****By ****the ****way, ****you ****are ****looking ****very ****beautiful ****tonight, ****Caroline****…"** She said to Caroline, continuing. **"…****But, ****for ****which ****of ****the ****two ****men?****"**

"**For ****myself ,****mom****…"** Caroline responded to Liz, while avoiding the Stefan-Tyler awkward conversation with her mother, before following her to the table. **"…****You****'****re ****looking ****pretty ****hot ****yourself!****" **

"**Imagine, ****I ****firstly ****had ****put ****a ****pair ****of ****jeans ****and ****a ****t-shirt****…****Opened ****the ****front ****door ****to ****welcome ****them, ****and ****saw ****Rita ****with ****her ****beautiful ****flowery ****dress****…****I ****rushed ****to ****get ****change!****" **Her mother explained to her, in a mocking tone of voice.

Her mother backyard had been decorated with colourful lanterns lights; two picnic tables have been dressed with white and red plaid pattern tablecloths and candles, the two young children, a boy and a girl, of Rita and Alvaro Martinez, were running on the grass, with Rose running after them, a wonderful smell of barbecue was filling the air, and Cuban music was filling the silence of the night. And with these nice settings, her mother's night picnic became a success.

After diner, Caroline was drinking a beer, away from the group, while staring at Stefan, with a veil of sadness in front of her eyes. Why was it that the only man that could always making her so happy, was also the one who had abandoned her five years ago, and who was not in love with her? Stefan was keeping a conversation with two cousins of the Martinez's, exchanging on his last visit to Cuba, while carefully avoiding to mention that this said visit dated actually of 1952!

"**Buenas ****noches!****"** Caroline heard Rita said to her.

"**Buenas ****noches****…"** Caroline replied to her, with a smile on her face, adding. "**And ****welcome ****in ****the ****neighbourhood, ****once ****again!****"**

"**Awww****…****.****"** Rita exclaimed to Caroline, while directing her stare on Stefan, like Caroline was doing, adding. **"…****Tu ****novio ****es ****muy ****sexy!****" **

"**I****'****m ****sorry****…****What?****" **Caroline asked her.

"**Your ****boyfriend ****is ****mucho ****sexy!****" **Rita translated for her, in laughter

"**Oh! ****No,****no****…****Stefan ****is ****not ****my ****boyfriend, ****he ****is ****only ****my ****friend.****"** Caroline replied to her mother's new neighbour, while shaking her head from right to left.

"**Mi ****querido ****amigo****…****What ****are ****you ****waiting ****for?****" **Rita exclaimed, winking at her, and taking Caroline by surprise, reaching for Caroline's hair clip, releasing her long blond hair on her shoulders. **"****Seduce ****him****…****Let ****your ****hair ****loose, ****let ****the ****passion ****between ****the ****two ****of ****you ****awaken ****the ****heat ****wave****…****Salsa ****Dance ****with ****him!****" **

"**Oh, ****no, ****no****…****It ****is ****not ****like ****that ****between ****us!****" **Caroline tried one last time to explain.** "…****And ****he ****seriously ****can****'****t ****dance!****" **

"**Not ****like ****that ****between ****you ****two? ****The ****man ****is ****practically ****devouring ****each ****inch ****of ****your ****body! ****Trust ****me****…****It ****is ****exactly ****like ****that ****between ****you ****two!****" **Rita said to a speechless Caroline, before leaving her side, making her nervously finished her beer in one big gulp.

"**Me ****amor****…"** Rita screamed at her husband. **"****What ****are ****you ****waiting ****for? ****It ****is ****time ****to ****dance!****" **

"**Awww****…****.My ****friends****…" **Alvaro addressed himself to the small group.** "...****My ****Lolita ****is ****calling ****me ****for ****a**** dance; ****I ****will ****bow ****in ****front ****of ****her.****" **He added with a smile, while putting a hand on his chest, and making a reverence, continuing. **"****Pedro! ****Musica****…****and ****ask ****Ms. ****Liz ****for ****a ****dance****…"**

Rhythmic Salsa music filled the silence, and Rita and Alvaro started to slowly and sensually take a few dancing steps toward each others, while locking their eyes in a fiery stare.

"**You ****see****…"** She heard Stefan's voice whispered behind her, making Caroline wince with surprise. **"****For ****the ****Cuban, ****dancing ****the ****Salsa ****with ****your ****dance ****partner ****is ****the ****equivalent ****of ****making ****love ****to ****him, ****or ****her, ****on ****the ****dance ****floor****…"** He continued whispering to her, the softness of his lips touching her right ear lobe, while sliding slowly and sensually both of his hands on each side of her hips, his chest glued to her back, before pushing her hips from right to left, in a slow, rhythmic pace, making her close her eyes, and sliding the tip of her tongue on the length of her lips. **"****Now****…****Turn ****and ****face ****me, ****Caroline****…" **He continued to whisper to her, before gently turning her body to face him, before grabbing her by the waist, bringing her in full contact with his chest, sliding his left hand, in her back, while holding her left hand with her right. **"****Look ****at ****me!****"** He softly ordered her, before seeing Caroline raised her head to stare at him, adding. **"****Now****…****Your ****pelvis ****needs ****to ****always ****be ****in ****synchronisation ****of ****rhythm ****with ****mine****…****It ****is ****time ****to ****shake ****your ****bun, ****Caroline****Forbes!****" **He continued whispering in her left ear, with a mocking tone of voice, continuing.** "…****You ****take ****one ****step ****backward ****with ****your ****right ****leg ****and ****foot; ****then ****you ****come ****back ****with ****both ****feet ****together, ****and ****you ****do ****the ****same, but forward, ****with ****your ****left ****leg ****and ****foot.****" **

Caroline understood the base of Stefan's dance lesson very quickly, and was able to follow him.

"**Miss ****Forbes****…****you ****owe ****me ****a ****major ****apology.****"** He said to her, with laugher, while putting his hand on her hips. **"****Now****…****move ****your ****hips ****from ****right ****to ****left****…"**

"**Like ****this?****" **Caroline asked Stefan, with the biggest smile on her face, while following his sexy rhythm.

"**Exactly ****like ****that, Love.****"** He answered her, while returning her smile.

"**Me ****querido ****Amigo****…" **Caroline heard Rita called her.** "****If ****your ****friend ****is ****not ****Salsa ****dancing****…****I ****don****'****t ****know ****what ****he ****is ****doing ****then? ****You****'****re really ****good!****" **She added to Stefan in laughter.

"**Thank ****you!****"** Stefan exclaimed, in laughter himself, while raising Caroline's left leg on his hips, and lowering her body almost to the ground, before raising her again in his arms, making her laugh and encircling his neck, while approaching her body closer to his, hearing the new slower tempo of the next music playing, sliding her hands in his hair, closing her eyes, while lowering her head on his right shoulder.

The thunder took all the guests by surprise, and it is in screams and laughter that everyone rushed inside Liz's house to hide from the rain, leaving Caroline and Stefan completely froze in an embrace under the pouring rain. Caroline was encircling his waist with both of her arms, her eyes closed, while feeling his lips kissing her forehead, raising her head to dive deep into his eyes, with her stare locked with his for a few moments, his right hand caressing her left cheek, while slowly lowering his head toward her, before passionately crashing his mouth on hers, frantically caressing each other bodies.

Caroline got a grip on herself, and pushed him far away from her, while sweeping the rain with her hands, away from her face, before running inside the house, leaving a speechless Stefan under the pouring rain.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Caroline, <strong>**open, ****please!****"** Stefan asked her to do, his forehead leaning on her old bedroom door. **"****I****'****m ****dripping ****on ****the ****carpet****…****and** **I ****need ****to ****be ****with ****you, ****now****…****As ****much ****as ****you ****need ****to ****be ****with ****me****…"**

He heard the door being unlocked, before turning the handle and pushing the door open, entering inside, before closing it behind him.

She was standing in front of him, her hair dripping from the rain, her mascara also dripping on her face, with her red wet dress glued to her body in the most erotic way possible.

He took a few steps to reach her, before raising her in his arms, by grabbing her bottom, and sitting Caroline on a low dresser, opening her legs before sliding himself between them, while bringing her in full contact with his chest, his hands placed on each side of her hips.

"**No****…"** She mumbled in her teeth, while shaking her head from right to left.

"**Yes****…"** He whispered to her, while passing both of his hands on her hair, in a slow caress. **"****God, ****you****'****re ****beautiful!****" **He added to her, before slowly sweet kissing one of her cheek, and the other, her closed eyelids, her nose…his left hand in her hair, with his right hand on her back, reaching for the zipper of her dress before slowly pushing it down, sliding his hand under the open fabric of her dress, on the softness of her skin, while creating shivers in all her body, before pushing her lower back toward his pelvis, to make her curved her chest toward him, lowering his mouth on her neck, while mumbling incoherent sounds of pleasure. Caroline's head leaning backward, with her eyes closed and her hands grabbing his hair, while pushing his head in a nearer proximity of her chest.

He slowly raised his head to look at her, before gently pushing the fabric of her sundress on her waist, freeing her breasts to his sight, while gently cupping their roundness with his hands, and lowering his mouth to kiss hers, lifting her in his arms, before sitting her on what used to be her bed.

Opening the buttons of his man shirt, dropping it wet on the floor, before sliding his wet hair backward, while passing a rapid hand on it, and lowering his chest near Caroline.

She started kissing the softness of his muscular chest, making him close his eyes, while feeling a well known desire stretching the between legs fabric of his trouser pants, before lying himself in top of her, taking and sliding her right hand on top of his bulge, and murmuring.

"**Caress me Caroline…"**

* * *

><p>Liz walked toward the front door, before opening it and welcoming Tyler.<p>

"**Tyler! ****Glad ****you ****could ****make ****it; ****I ****heard ****you ****were ****back ****from ****university!****"** Liz said to him, before showing him to enter, and closing the door behind him, adding. **"****The ****rain ****forced ****us ****to ****enter ****inside****…****Oh, ****but ****the ****rain ****took ****you ****by ****surprise ****too, ****you ****are ****all ****wet ****as ****well!****" **She added in an exclamation.

"**Hey ****Liz, ****nice ****to ****see ****you ****again****…****Aww ****it****'****s ****not ****a ****problem, ****being ****wet ****won****'****t ****kill ****me****…****Where****'****s ****Caroline?****" **Tyler asked her, while rubbing both of his hands together.

"**Last ****time ****I****'****ve ****seen ****her, ****she ****was ****going ****upstairs ****to ****dry ****herself ****with ****Stefan****…****.****" **Liz answered Tyler. **"****Can ****I ****offer ****you ****something ****to ****drink? ****Then, ****you ****could ****go ****search ****for ****them, ****and ****all ****of ****you ****could ****join ****us ****in ****the ****living ****room, ****for ****a ****night cap?****" **

"**Sure! ****Glass ****of red ****wine ****would ****be ****fine!****"** Tyler replied to Caroline's mom, while nodding his head.

"**Ok****…****We****'****ll ****be ****waiting ****for ****you ****to ****join ****us ****in ****the ****living ****room ****then****…"** She responded to him, with a smile.

* * *

><p>Caroline's nails were forcefully entering Stefan's muscular naked back skin, in a mix of caress, grabbing and scratching, increasing the ardour of their exchanged kisses while letting their tongues interlacing and tasting their mutual mouth, with both of her legs sensually robbing his lower naked back and bottom, making him smile and laugh on her lips.<p>

"**Stefan****…"** Caroline mumbled to him, in top of his lips, her hands in his hair, while suddenly pushing his chest gently away from hers. **"****Stefan, ****we ****have ****to ****stop****…****I ****heard ****Tyler ****and ****my ****mom ****talking ****downstairs****…" **She begged him to listen, while turning her head to the right, and staring at the bedroom door, adding. **"****Please! ****I ****don****'****t ****want ****him ****to ****find ****us ****like ****this****…"**

Stefan was leaving a trail of hot kisses on the left side of her neck, before raising his head to lock his eyes with hers, and pushing himself away from Caroline, while passing a nervous hand on his face and through his hair.

"**Caroline****…****One ****day, ****I ****won****'****t ****be ****able ****to ****stop! ****Tyler ****or ****not****…"** He whispered to her, while closing his eyes. "**Woman****…****What ****are ****you ****doing ****to ****me?****" **He added to her, before rising on his legs, and taking a few walking steps in the bedroom to calm down.

"**Thank ****you****…" **She whispered to him, while straightening her upper body in a sitting position, and raising the top of her dress, to cover her naked chest, before asking him.** "****Could ****you ****just ****zip ****me ****up, please?****" **

Stefan rolled his eyes to the ceiling, before looking at her while shaking his head from right to left, both of his hands on each side of his waist.

* * *

><p>Tyler directed his walk toward the stairs, before holding his walking pace, and seeing Rose in the corridor in front of him. She was twisting her head and upper front body, while raising her little lace top, to look at her lower back.<p>

"**Hey ****Rose****…****How ****are ****you? ****What ****you****'****re ****doing?****" **He said to the little girl, while waiving his hand, and slowly approaching her.

"**Hi!****"** She responded to Tyler, still reserved in front of him.

"**What ****you****'****re ****having ****there ****Rose, ****did ****you ****hurt ****yourself, ****you ****want ****to ****show ****it ****me?****"** He asked her, while kneeling in front of her.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Caroline!<strong>**" **Tyler called, while climbing the stairs, before opening her old bedroom door and finding Stefan and Caroline, both dressed, standing in front of each other, and the bed.** "****It****'****s ****Rose****…****Something ****is ****wrong ****with ****her!****" **He added to her, with desperation in his voice.

"**What ****is ****wrong ****with ****her?****"** Caroline exclaimed, while in reflex holding Stefan's left forearm.

It did not take long for Caroline, Stefan and Tyler, to rushed downstairs, and find Rose in the kitchen.

"**I ****told ****her ****to ****stay ****here, ****to ****not ****alert ****your ****mom, ****Caroline****…"** Tyler said to her.

"**Hey, ****little ****mouse****…****Uncle ****Tyler ****said ****that ****you ****are ****sick?****"** Stefan said to the little girl, while picking her up in his arms, and sitting her on a kitchen stool.

"**I****'****m ****ok, ****Uncle ****Stefan****…"** Rose told him. **"****It ****doesn****'****t ****hurt!****"**

"**Sweetie, ****what ****is ****wrong?****"** Caroline asked the little girl.

"**Look ****at ****her ****lower ****back****…"** Tyler said to both Caroline and Stefan.

Caroline look at Stefan, before nodding her head to him in approbation, Stefan raised Rose little lace top, before holding his gesture.

"**Oh ****my ****God****…****Why ****is ****there ****scarring ****on ****her ****lower ****back ****skin?****"** Caroline exclaimed, while putting one of her hand on her mouth to hold her screams, and the other one on her chest.

"**I ****don****'****t ****know****…****.But ****more ****so, ****why ****is ****the ****name ****Alex ****engraved ****on ****her ****skin?****"** Stefan asked Caroline in complete shock and disbelief, while raising his head to lock his eyes with hers.

* * *

><p><strong>It is always a pleasure for me to read you all, and to answer all of you after!<strong>

I tried to put everything in this chapter to make you happy: humour, sexiness, hotness, flashback, darkness, intrigues, happy times, dirty dancing…Name it! I truly hope you liked it?

My dear readers, the next chapter will be in 2012…I have to write a couple chapters in my other stories, and will take a well deserve time off after.

In the menu in 2012: more flashbacks, Klaus, secrets, more secrets (LOL), adventure!

**I take time to wish all of you:**

**A happy time with your family and friends during the Holidays,**

**A healthy 2012 year for you and your love ones.**

**And, couple of scenes between Stefan & Caroline in TVD would be nice ;)**

**Until the next chapter: Be safe!**

**Lovely Vero.**


	5. Hidden secrets

**AN UNEXPECTED LOVE AFFAIR - PART 2**

Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

SORRY FOR THE SECOND UPDATE! BUT THE SITE WAS NOT WORKING FOR ME! :(

**Writer's note**: My dear _Staroline_ readers, it is a new start, with a new year in hands, and I am so happy to be back in this story! What a year it will be: Secret, betrayal, sexiness, hotness, adventure…fasten your seatbelts my readers, it will be a bumpy ride! And as my gift to you: it was about time that these two got back into a physical relationship!

I wanted before starting back on the complexity of the story, to give a chapter of hotness between them, simply by putting them back together in an intimate way, enjoy! :)

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 5<strong>

** "HIDDEN SECRETS"**

* * *

><p>"<strong>Uncle Stefan…I can walk you know?" <strong>Rose told him, while being carried in his arms, from the car to the front door of the Boarding house, with her little arms encircling his neck.

"**I know, little mouse…"** Stefan responded to her, while reaching the front door, and waiting for Caroline to be at their sides, to slide the key in the lock, while taking a quick look at him, with Tyler on their footsteps. **"But you were the little princess of the night…You should be carried as one!" **

"**Did you hear, Aunty Caroline…I was the Princess of the night!" **Rose said proudly to Caroline, while turning her head to look at her, before sucking on a lollipop that the nice lady doctor had gave to her, while being carried into the parlour room in Stefan's arms, and being put down on her feet on the floor. **"Uncle Stefan is always telling me that you are his beautiful "Princess"!" **Rose added to Caroline, while pulling on her dress, and giving connivance look at Stefan.

Caroline raised her head in surprise, while locking her eyes with Stefan's, and blushing because of the intensity of his glare, quickly turning her head, and dropping her purse on a coffee table, with Tyler entering the parlour room at her side, before himself standing in front of Stefan, while rolling his eyes to the ceiling, shaking his head at Rose "everything but innocent" mention, and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

This evening had been a roller coaster for Caroline, in every way possible! Her dance with Stefan, the thunderstorm, their moment together in her bedroom, the "Rose" incident - After passing nearly two hours at the emergency room at the hospital.

"**Well, you see Rose…In your uncle Stefan little fantasy world, of fairy and princess, he can be the strong hero!"** Tyler started explaining to her, while kneeling in front of the little girl, making Rose startled and hiding herself behind Stefan's legs.

"**Really Tyler…"** Stefan asked him, while putting his hands on each side of his waist in a confrontation gesture.

"**What, Salvatore?"** Tyler said to him, while raising himself on his feet, and walking to take a sitting position on an arm chair. **"Did I hit a nerve? I'm just saying that you have the hero syndrome in you!" **

"**Well…Thinking about it, better be the hero than the big ass…" **Stefan lashed out in Tyler's face, before being cut in the middle of his sentence by Caroline.

"**Could you please stop?"** Caroline lashed out at both of them, before closing her eyes, and counting to ten to calm herself down, before reopening them, adding. **"Rose, sweetie….go put your PJ on, ok?"**

"**But, I want to stay with Uncle Stefan!"** Rose responded to Caroline, while sliding her little hand in his, with a pout on her face.

"**Now Rose!"** Caroline said to her, with a hand gesture in direction of the stairs. **"It's late, and you need to go to bed…I'll bring you a glass of milk in a moment." **She promised to her.

Rose raised her head to look at Stefan, while seeing him caress her hair and winking at her, before pushing her in direction of the stairs.

"**Go sweetie, I'll come to say goodnight in a few moments…"** He said, while smiling at her. It is only when she was out of sight that he turned his glare in direction of Caroline. **"Explain what is happening, Caroline, please?"**

"**What? Why should she?"** Tyler screamed at him, while rising on his feet again, and taking a few walking steps toward the bar, to pour himself a drink, adding. **"What is your freaking problem Salvatore, why should Caroline explain anything to you?" **

"**It's ok, Tyler…" **Caroline said to him, while avoiding looking into Stefan's eyes.

"**No! It's not ok, Caroline!"** Tyler lashed out at her, continuing while addressing himself to Stefan**. "Since when this little girl became your business, Salvatore…Could you explain this to me?" **

"**I care for Rose!"** Stefan angrily responded to Tyler. **"Probably more than you do! And I find a bit disturbing that this little girl had the new name, of my long lost brother, writing in her back!" **

"**You care for Rose, or you are taking this little girl as way to try to steal my girlfriend from me, and find a way into her panties perhaps, like you were doing in her bedroom a couple of hours ago?"** Tyler angrily asked him, while putting his face at a near inch of distance of Stefan's.

"**Get away from my face, Tyler…Before I do something that we'll both regret!"** Stefan said to him, while locking his angry glare into his eyes, and putting his hands back on each side of his waist.

"**Come at me, Salvatore…I've been waiting for this moment for a very long time now!"** Tyler angrily responded to him.

"**Enough!"** Caroline screamed to both of them, making them back off of each other for a moment. **"It was a long night, and we are all tired…I think that the important thing is that Rose is fine!"** She added to both of them.

"**Talk to me Caroline…What is going on?"** Stefan repeated to her, while locking his eyes with hers, in an attempt of discovering the truth.

"**Oh for God sake…Nothing is going on, Salvatore! Not everything has to be in relation with Salvatore little world!"** Tyler said to him, while pacing back and forth in the parlour room, adding. **"Yes! Rose had the name **_Alex_** tattooed on her back for what seems to be five minutes, and then it disappeared…but that doesn't mean she, or her mother, are related to your psychopath brother, who by the way…did not show his face in Mystic Falls since five years! For what we could know, her mother could be a witch…and that supernatural manifestation is related to her and someone that she knows!" **

"**Caroline?" **Stefan asked her, for the third time.

"**I have no idea, Stefan, I swear!" **Caroline screamed, while trying to avoid looking at him in the eyes. She needed to gain time…time for her to think! He always had a six sense about knowing when she was lying or not. She needed to say something truthful to him, or he will read into her like a book! **"I will phone Bonnie in the morning to learn if a spell could have been put on Rose's mother, and therefore maybe Rose was the recipient of it also…But I can assure you that **_Chantal_**, her mother, never knew Damon!" **She said to him, while looking at him directly in the eyes, and knowing perfectly well that only the half of her sentence was true! She was worrying like crazy about Elena, and what could have happened to her with Alex?

Stefan lowered his sight and head, before passing a quick hand on his face and hair.

"**I'm sorry; I'm a bit on edge…"** Stefan said to her, adding. "…**I see my brother mixed in the middle of everything!" **

"**That's an understatement, Salvatore!"** Tyler responded harshly to him, while crossing his arms in front of his chest, while noticing Caroline shaking his head to him, in an attempt to calm their argument down, making Tyler close his eyes for two seconds. **"Ok…I'm sorry also…I like this little girl, and, I was not thinking clearly either." **Tyler added reluctantly to Stefan.

Stefan nodded his head to Tyler, in a small gesture of accepting his apology, while turning his sight back at Caroline, who blushed slightly and lowered her head, before hearing Tyler's cell phone, and seeing him answering it.

"**Hello?"** He simply answered to his phone**. "…I'll be right there!"** He added, before sliding his phone back in his pocket, in an upset way.

"**Is everything ok?"** Caroline asked him, suddenly worried by his facial expression.

"**It's my mom."** He replied, while avoiding looking into Caroline's eyes, adding. **"Small family crisis…Nothing for you to worry about…"** He added to her, while approaching Caroline's standing position, sliding his right hand around her waist, to bring her close to him, before crashing his mouth on Caroline's, making Stefan roll his eyes to the ceiling. **"I'll sleep at my mom's tonight; I'll see you tomorrow…Take care of Rose!"** He said to Caroline, while detaching his lips from hers, staring deep into her eyes, before slapping her bottom, and walking toward the entrance door, saluting Stefan in a mocking way. **"Salvatore!"**

"**Tyler…"** Stefan responded to him, while watching him leave the room and house.

Caroline raised her sight on Stefan, before walking to take her handbag from the near side coffee table. **"I'll go prepare a glass of milk for Rose."**

"**Caroline…." **Stefan called, to hold her pace, while watching her turning to take a look at him. **"We need to talk…"** He added.

"**No we don't…"** She responded to him, while shaking her head from right to left.

"**Yes we do, and you know it…Especially after…" **He started saying to her, before being cut in his sentence by her.

"**It was a mistake…One that I am not about to make again."** She said to him, adding. **"I want to be with Tyler, Stefan…We, you and me, had a short affair in the past…But it's in the past now…and it has to stay there!"** She added to him, while glaring at him for a short moment, before leaving him alone in the Parlour room.

* * *

><p>Caroline entered the kitchen; before throwing her handbag on the kitchen table, approaching the kitchen counter and putting her hands on its top, while lowering her head, closing her eyes, and feeling tears rolling fluently on her cheeks, before putting her right hand over her mouth to stop her moaning. She needed to take a moment to herself…Only a moment! This night had been so hard for her on so many levels. She got attached so quickly to Rose and seeing her skin being wounded that way, if only for a brief moment, made her realized that she would give her life for the little girl safety. She passed a quick hand on her cheeks to swept the tears away, before opening the fridge door, and taking a milk box from its inside, reaching for a glass on a shelf, before pouring the liquid. She was in deep turmoil inside of her…What was she supposed to do now? Elena told her about the psychic power of Rose…Maybe she should not be too worried about it? Maybe what they saw was just a way for Rose to connect with her mother? She had promised Elena to not tell anyone where she was, and most of all Stefan…But she had forgot to ask her in which kind of emergency she would be allowed to tell him? She reopened the fridge, sliding the milk box on a steel shelf, before closing the door, turning on herself, while keeping the glass of milk in her right hand, before being hit by another turmoil that was turning her belly upside down…She had almost give herself back to Stefan tonight, if Tyler would not have barged in on them. She re-closed her eyes one more time, while reliving the moments.<p>

ooOoo

"_Caroline, open, please!" Stefan asked her to do, his forehead leaning on her old bedroom door. "I'm dripping on the carpet…and I need to be with you, now…As much as you need to be with me…"_

_He heard the door being unlocked, before turning the handle and pushing the door open, entering inside, before closing it behind him._

_She was standing in front of him, her hair dripping from the rain, her mascara also dripping on her face, with her red wet dress glued to her body in the most erotic way possible. _

_He took a few steps to reach her, before raising her in his arms, by grabbing her bottom, and sitting Caroline on a low dresser, opening her legs before sliding himself between them, while bringing her in full contact with his chest, his hands placed on each side of her hips._

"_No…" She mumbled in her teeth, while shaking her head from right to left. _

"_Yes…" He whispered to her, while passing both of his hands on her hair, in a slow caress. "God, you're beautiful!" He added to her, before slowly sweet kissing one of her cheek, and the other, her closed eyelids, her nose…his left hand in her hair, with his right hand on her back, reaching from the zipper of her dress before slowly pushing it down, sliding his hand under the open fabric of her dress, on the softness of her skin, while creating shivers in all her body, before pushing her lower back toward his pelvis, to make her curved her chest toward him, lowering his mouth on her neck, while mumbling incoherent sounds of pleasure. Caroline's head leaning backward, with her eyes closed and her hands grabbing his hair, while pushing his head in a nearer proximity of her chest._

_He slowly raised his head to look at her, before gently pushing the fabric of her bare shoulder sundress on her waist, freeing her breasts to his sight, while gently cupping their roundness with his hands, and lowering his mouth to kiss hers, lifting her in his arms, before sitting her on what used to be her bed. _

_Opening the buttons of his man shirt, dropping it wet on the floor, before sliding his wet hair backward, while passing a rapid hand on it, and lowering his chest near Caroline. _

_She started kissing the softness of his muscular chest, making him close his eyes, while feeling a well known desire stretching the between legs fabric of his trouser pants, before lying himself in top of her, taking and sliding her right hand on top of his bulge, and murmuring._

"_Caress me Caroline…" _

_ooOoo_

"**You want me to bring this glass of milk to Rose?" **She heard Stefan asking, while startling hard at the sound of his voice, and turning on herself, with her left hand placed on her chest, and the glass of milk on her right.

"**You scared me!"** She said to him, while noticing that he was standing under the arch door, the right side of his body leaning on it, with his arms crossed in front of his chest. God, he was sexy! His hair were scattered all over the place, caused by the previous rain…and couple of buttons were open on his man shirt, and were showing his underneath naked chest. She suddenly blushed, and turned back to face the counter again.

"**It was not my intention…"** He responded to her, while taking a few walking steps to reach her standing position, taking the glass of milk away from her hand, before dropping it on the kitchen counter. **"You're shaking…"** He whispered to her, his lips touching the lobe of her right ear, while rubbing slowly the length of her arms with both of his hands.

"**I'm sorry…"** She mumbled to him.

He took her chin in his right hand, before turning and raising her head to look to make her look at him in the eyes.

"**It's ok...You don't need to apologize to me; Caroline…You perfectly know that you never need to hide anything from me…" **He said to her, before noticing:** "…You've been crying…"** He said to her, while slowly passing the back of his left hand on her cheeks, creating a range of delectable shivers all over her body.

"**I…It was a long day, Stefan!"** She murmured to him, while still avoiding looking at him in the eyes.

"**I know that you are worrying about Rose, but she'll be ok…" **He said to her, while caressing her hair, and adding.** "You're the woman with the biggest heart that I've ever met in all my life…You're sweet, loving…"** He whispered to her, while cupping her face in his hands, and locking his eyes with hers, and passing the tip of one of his thumbs on the length of her bottom lips. **"…And so beautiful"** He added while bending his head near hers, making her think that he was going to kiss her one second, before sweet kissing her forehead instead the second after. **"I know I was not at your side the past five years, but I want to be now…I want to help you; Caroline….I'll take the milk to her, and put her to sleep."** He murmured, his lips in top of her skin, adding. **"Get some rest…Good night Caroline!"** He whispered to her, before taking the glass from the counter, leaving her speechless and completely lost with her own turmoil in the middle of her own kitchen.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Are you finished stolen time young lady?"<strong> Stefan mockingly asked Rose, while seeing her lapping the glass of milk, in slow gulps in an attempt to extend her "up time" before being put down to sleep. She finally handed the empty glass to Stefan, with a big smile, while wiping her mouth with the back of her right little hand.

Stefan took the glass from her hand, before putting it on top of the side table, and raising the colourful pink and green flowers sheet on her upper body.

"**Rose, do you know what happened to you before? Do you have any idea how these marks appeared on your back?" **Stefan asked Rose, while caressing her head, and seeing Rose nodding her head in negation. **"Did you ever have other strange things happening to you before?" **

"**What kind of things, Uncle Stefan?" **Rose asked him.

"**Like magical things…Like you read in your fairytale books?" **Stefan explained, while smiling at her.

"**Mom always told me that I have magical powers…"** She responded to Stefan, while giggling.

"**Oh ya…"** Stefan responded whit a small laugh, while tickling her, and making her laughed more, before adding. **"…Like what?"**

"**Mm….I'm able to move things around….And I know secrets…And one day I will be able to fight a bad monster!" **She said to Stefan with proud, making Stefan lowered his head and smile, thinking that this was like any other child, to make belief in his or her head.

"**Sweet dreams, little mouse…"** He murmured to her, before kissing her forehead, taking the empty glass from the side table, before rising on his feet.

"**Uncle Stefan?"** Rose called him.

"**Yes, sweetie…"** He asked her.

"**Do you love Aunty Caroline, like the prince love the princess in my story book?"** She asked him, before seeing him blush and lowering his head once again, smiling at how perceptive a child was of grown up emotions.

"**Yes, I do…"** He simply replied to her.

"**Then you need to fight for your princess, Uncle Stefan… like in my fairytale books…And give a kiss on Aunty Caroline's mouth, for her to see that you are the prince…"** Rose said to him, while putting her little fingers on her mouth and mimicking a kiss.

Stefan laugh at Rose suggestion before taking a few steps to reach the switch light on the wall, before turning to look at her one last time.

"**Good night, Uncle Stefan!"** She said to him, turning her little head on the pillow, before closing her eyes.

"**Good night, little mouse…."** He responded to Rose.

It was obvious to him now, that Rose was just an ordinary little girl with a vivid imagination, and no special power was related to her, though, he could not shake the feeling that something about this little girl was special, like a six sense that was whispering to him that she needed protection. He could feel in his guts that Caroline was hiding something from him related to Rose….And the wounded tattooed scars in her skin could not be mistaken for something else than supernatural manifestation.

* * *

><p>Caroline turned on her right, one more time on her left, and one last time on her right, before taking, in pure rage, her pillow from under her head, and throwing it on her bedroom floor. She was mad as hell! It has been hours that she was trying to find peace in her sleep, and was forbidden to do so, courtesy of <em>Stefan Salvatore<em>!

"**Damn!"** She groaned out loud to herself, before reaching for the alarm clock placed on her side table. **"Oh…You got to be kidding me!"** She lashed out, while reading 3:00 a.m. on its screen, while lying flat on her back on the mattress, and closing her eyes, with her right upper arm place on her forehead.

Since her last encounter with Stefan in the kitchen, late the previous evening, she had not been able to get him out of her mind, and therefore never had find a minute of peaceful sleep. She opened her top sheet, sliding her legs outside the bed, with her feet touching the floor, while slowly raising her hand to touch her bottom lip, like he had touched it earlier, before shaking her head from right to left, and passing a hand in her hair, while suddenly feeling her fangs on the tip of her tongue. Yap! She had completely forgotten to feed herself after last night saga of events. She rose on her feet, before reaching for her dressing gown on the arm chair, before holding her gesture, and looking at what she was wearing: A two pieces PJ, with a bottom lace white short, and a cute tank lace top. She was decent, except from the see though fabric, and it was not like she would meet someone at 3:00 O'clock in the morning…Rose was asleep, and Stefan was in his bedroom probably sleeping or reading…She remembered that he used to read late in the night…She closed her eyes one more time, Enough! She needed to get him out of her mind, she thought to herself, while shaking her head, before reaching her bedroom door, and silently taking the direction of the stairs. One sure thing: She needed both blood and a strong drink!

* * *

><p>"<strong>Two hundred….Two hundred and one…Two hundred and two…"<strong> Stefan was mumbling angrily in his teeth, while doing push-ups at 3:00 O'clock in the morning, while wearing only a PJ bottom, this, on his bedroom floor. He suddenly rose on his feet, while passing a quick hand on his face and hair, to sweep away the transpiration. He had been doing exercises since one hour already, and it did not help him a bit! He took a few walking steps to reach his adjacent bathroom, while opening the cold facet, and sprinkling his face with icy water, before raising his head and looking at his own reflection in the mirror, his mind shifting into another previous moment of the evening.

ooOoo

_Caroline's nails were forcefully entering Stefan's muscular naked back skin, in a mix of caress, grabbing and scratching, increasing the ardour of their exchanged kisses while letting their tongues interlacing and tasting their mutual mouth, with both of her legs sensually robbing his lower naked back and bottom, making him smile and laugh on her lips. _

"_Stefan…" Caroline mumbled to him, in top of his lips, her hands in his hair, while suddenly pushing his chest gently away from hers. "Stefan, we have to stop…I heard Tyler and my mom talking downstairs…" She begged him to listen, while turning her head to the right, and staring at the bedroom door, adding. "Please! I don't want him to find us like this…"_

_Stefan was leaving a trail of hot kisses on the left side of her neck, before raising his head to lock his eyes with hers, and pushing himself away from Caroline, while passing a nervous hand on his face and through his hair._

"_Caroline…One day, I won't be able to stop! Tyler or not…" He whispered to her, while closing his eyes. "Woman…What are you doing to me?" He added to her, before rising on his legs, and taking a few walking steps in the bedroom to calm down. _

ooOoo

Stefan opened his eyes, before shaking his head, and reaching for a hand towel on the wall, while wiping his face, before throwing it on the sink cabinet, closing the light and leaving the bathroom, while directing his walking steps downstairs. He needed something strong to drink to forget her, and help him fall asleep, and he needed it now!

* * *

><p>Caroline was listening to the peaceful sound of the rain on the parlour glass windows, while sitting on the sofa, with only the glaze of a few candles to illuminate the room, her knees elevated near her chest, with one glass of blood in one hand and another glass filled with Bourbon. If this lethal mixed was not enough, she believed that she would kill herself for good this time! She thought with a smile on her face, while gulping entirely her glass of Bourbon.<p>

"**That is an interesting mix…."** She heard a sarcastic voice telling her, while startling and turning her head to see Stefan walking toward her sitting position, bare chest and feet, with only a bottom of a PJ as the only clothe on him. "_God Lord Marie Jesus"_, she thought to herself, while staring at his muscular chest, "_Why in hell did I not take the bottle of Bourbon and the glass of blood back to my bedroom?_ _Stupid, Stupid, Stupid me!_" She thought more, while blushing, and turning his sight away from him. **"Can I join you?"** He asked her, while taking the bottle of Burdon from the side table in his hands, and showing it to her.

"**Sure…"** She answered, while nodding and smiling timidly to him, watching him pouring himself a glass, before reaching her sitting place on the sofa, and pouring some amber liquid into her own empty glass, putting the bottle at his feet, sitting beside her, and taking a few gulps from it, before turning his head to stare at her.

"**Couldn't sleep?"** He asked her, while seeing her shaking her head in negation to him. **"Candles, blood, Bourbon…You had a party all plan, and you had forgotten my invitation, Caroline…Shame on you!"** He mockingly said to her.

"**It probably got lost in the mail…"** She answered him, with a small laugh, before taking few gulps from her Bourbon glass, while handing the blood glass to him, which he respectfully decline by shaking his head from right to left.

"**I'm sorry; you're back on animal blood?"** She asked him.

"**I'm drinking human blood in small dosage…I'm getting my bad side into control that way."** He replied to her, while drinking his glass in one gulp.

Caroline watched him, and felt regret inside of her…She had forgotten to ask him how he was handling his ripper addict side, since he had return to Mystic Falls. Actually, she had pretty much forgotten to ask him how he was doing in general. She was too busy putting him in arms length, to not be hurt again, and therefore, did not open her heart to him, and their past friendship that they used to have.

"**I'm ok…"** He said to her, while turning his head, and smiling, like he knew what she was thinking about at that present moment, while seeing her nodding his head, and smiling to him. **"Want to get drunk, Forbes?"** He mockingly asked her, while winking and raising the bottle in his hands, before filling the two glasses.

"**I never get drunk Salvatore, at best, I am only a tiny bit tipsy afterward…"** She responded to him, while hitting him with one of her fist on his upper left arm, making him smirk at the same time.

He handed the glass to her, while seeing her put her hand on the glass in top of his, feeling his eyes locking with hers, she suddenly blushed, and wanted to take the glass away from his hand, but her own shaking hand lost the grip on it, and the glass fell on the sofa, while sprinkling its content on her.

"**I'm sorry…"** Stefan said to her, while getting up on his feet, reaching for a cloth inside the small bar, coming back to sit by her side, while bending his body in top of hers, and sponging the liquid on her lace tank top.

"**No…It is me, I am so clumsy!"** She mumbled to him, while blushing even more, and raising her head, while locking her eyes with his.

Stefan set aside the cloth, before leaning his upper body in top of hers.

"**I want you…"** He whispered to Caroline, adding. **"…And I know you want the same."**

"**No…"** She murmured to him, putting her hands on his muscular chest, in a small, none realistic attempt, to hold him back, feeling the softness of his skin under the palms of her hands, while starting to feel the effect of the alcohol, closing her eyes, and feeling an intense fire emerging in her lower body parts.

"**Yes…"** He said to her, before slowly approaching his mouth from hers, passing the tip of his tongue on the length of her bottom lips, before easily sliding it entirely inside her mouth, crashing his own lips a second later on hers, while devouring her mouth with all the passion he had retain in him since their last encounter, a few hours ago.

Caroline started mumbling pleasurable sounds, while avidly returning his kiss, lying completely on her back, and sliding her hands from his naked chest to his neck, pulling him in full body contact with hers, crossing her legs around his hips, before raising her own in full contact with his, to feel his sexual hard need of her against her pelvis. All rational thoughts had left her mind for the time being, she only had the urgency to feel him inside of her.

"**That is my girl…"** He murmured to her, while groaning his pleasure to her and rubbing frantically his hands on her entire body, in an intense urgency to make her his, before sliding his right hand under her lace tank top, cupping her breasts, while circling their sensible nipples.

"**Stefan…"** She moaned to him, while tilting her head backward, to give him a better access to her neck, which he took the opportunity to slide his lips on the vein who was pumping intensively its blood. **"…Come in me!"** She screamed at him.

"**It's too soon…"** He whispered to her, while sweet kissing her neck with a hot trail of intense sensation. **"…You deserve to be love in slow motion, cupcake!"** He mockingly called her, in a sweet way.

"**Too soon…"** She repeated to him, while opening her eyes widely. **"…I've been waiting for ever for this!**" She added in a murmur, while lowering her hand, sliding it under his PJ elastic bottom, and rubbing his hard length in an up and down expert and sensual movement.

Stefan raised his head from her neck, while closing his eyes and feeling the intensity of her caress on him.

"**That is not fair, Forbes…You naughty girl!"** He replied to her, with a small laugh, suddenly rising on his feet, sliding his PJ pants on his legs, throwing it on the floor, and seeing Caroline straightening her upper body in a sitting position, get rid of her tank top, throwing it in top of his pants on the floor, before lying herself back on the sofa.

Stefan bended over her, sliding her PJ bottom and panties on her legs, before repositioning himself in top of her body, and sliding his right hand between her legs, while feeling the softness and wetness of her need for him, before caressing her in a slow erotic caress.

"**Oh…" **She moaned to him, while closing her eyes, and passing the tip of her tongue on her lips. She wanted Stefan so damn much, she thought, before closing her eyes and feeling him place his length in the entrance of her feminine center.

"**Caroline…"** He whispered to her, adding. **"…If I'm too strong and hurt you in any way…Just tell me, Love…I'm afraid of not being able to control myself….I wanted this for so long…" **He mumbled almost incoherently to her.

It's her who elevated her pelvis, while starting to coat its length of her feminine walls.

"**Oh God…You're killing me!"** He whispered to her, before entering completely in her in a good, strong push, hearing her scream his name in the same time.

He started to move slowly in her, while increasing his pace rapidly, making her slide her hands on his back and scratch his skin to release the intense sexual pleasure he was giving her.

"**Oh…Stefan…"** She whispered to him, while opening her mouth and closing her eyes.

"**There…Right there…"** He murmured to her, while hitting repeatedly the sensitive spot that would put her over the edge, and trigger her intense pleasure, hearing her screaming his name a short moment after while reaching her release, and letting himself die inside of her, a moment later, with an intense groaning of pleasure.

* * *

><p>Stefan was observing Caroline, who was sleeping on her belly with her lower naked body covered by the sheet, her head on the pillow, while, himself having his head elevated in his right forearm hand. He swept a strand of hair away from her face, while smiling and caressing her naked back on an almost unperceivable caress of his left hand, appreciating the erotic curve of her back and the softness of her skin. How long and how much he had waited for them to be intimate again, five long unbearable years! Now, he needed to be intimate with her, like he needed to have blood in his system, and he loved her so much! But she was not even ready to hear this words coming from him…He had hurt her when he had left Mystic Falls, and more so, left her alone behind him…And she was still angry at him for that, with all the right reasons in the world.<p>

She very slowly woke up, while half opening her eyes, and glaring at his smiling face.

"**What time is it?"** She whispered to him, in a semi-wake up state.

"**Still early…Around seven…"** He murmured to her.

"**How did we end up here?"** She asked him, while scattering with a look her own bedroom.

"**You fell asleep in my arms downstairs…I carried you in your bedroom…"** He explained to her, with a smile, adding. **"Rose is not awake, she is still sleeping…I checked." **

She nodded, while smiling timidly at him, and stretching her arms above her head.

"**You should have waking me up…"** She told him.

"**You only slept a couple of hours…I wanted you to rest."** He replied to her.

"**Your damn fault, you exhausted me a couple of times." **She replied, while grinning at him.

"**Actually it was four…"** He sarcastically replied to her, with a small laughter, and a proud expression on his face, while lowering his head on his pillow, his right hand under it, face to face with her.

"**What?"** She asked him, surprised.

"**It was four time that I've exhausting you!"** He mockingly explained to her, with the biggest smirk of satisfaction on his face, while sliding his naked body in top of hers, before approaching his lips at a near inch of hers.

"**You counted? Oh my God, you have the biggest ego on the planet, Salvatore! " **She said outraged to him, adding, while trying to push him away from her, with her hands on his chest.** "You are so full of yourself!" **

"**Well…You seemed to be pleased! You were always asking me for more!"** He replied to her, while sliding his mouth on her neck, and leaving, a hot trail of kisses on her skin.

"**Oh! You…You…."** She mumbled to him, before taking him by surprise and pushing him away from her, with all her vampire strength, making him roll on the other side, before getting out of the bed on her feet, and reaching for her dressing gown. **"You're despicable!" **

"**Why am I despicable, for giving you the most sexual pleasure you had in a long time?" **Stefan asked her, while shrugging his shoulders, and getting out of the bed himself.

"**Oh! I don't even want to answer to this…Yesterday night was a big mistake…We drank, and we did not know what we were doing…" **She said to him,while blushing intensively at the naked sight of him. Obviously, he was now ready for number five, she noticed while turning her glare away from his lower body part.

"**Oh I can't believe this…CAROLINE!" **He angrily said to her, while putting emphasis on her name as a warning, and passing a rapid hand on his face and hair, before adding. **"Don't do this! I perfectly knew what I was doing, and so did you!" **

"**I don't regret it…but it was a mistake! I am with Tyler now…And I don't want him to suffer from whatever this was…We had a relapse, we felt at ease with each other, nostalgia from the past, and we were feeling sad, and it happened, Stefan…but it did no meant anything other than consent sex!" **Caroline explained to him, while scattering her bedroom floor to find his PJ bottom.

"**You must be kidding?"** Stefan angrily responded to her, while putting his hands on each side of his waist**. "This is bowl shit, Caroline…And, you know it, and I know it! You are too much of a coward to face the fact that you want to be with me, in every possible way…And you take Tyler as an excuse because you've been hurt in the past by me! I hurt your pride!"** He lashed out at her.

"**Get out of my bedroom, Stefan…"** Caroline responded to him, while gesturing with her hand, and showing him the door.

"**Make me!"** He answered her, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**Caroline?"** They heard Tyler's voice calling from the far end of the upstairs corridor, making them both turn their head in direction of the close bedroom door.

"**Oh, my God…"** She murmured, while looking at Stefan.

It took not even one minute, for her to push, a very naked Stefan, with her vampire speed, inside of her own wall closet, while closing the door on them, her body glued to his chest, in the dark confine space.

"**You got to be kidding me, Caroline!"** Stefan said, while lowering his head to look at her.

"**Please, shhh…Lower your voice!" **She replied to him, while putting one of her finger on his lips, adding. **"I don't want him to hear or find us!"** She said to him in an almost unperceivable whisper.

Stefan took her hand away from his face, while holding it in his own.

"**Caroline! I'm not a lover that you can hide in your closet or under your bed!"** Stefan angrily replied to her, adding. **"This was my house!"**

"**You're fitting the description, and yes, it was your house… but not anymore."** She responded, in a murmur, to him. **"Lower your voice, please Stefan!"** She added to him, while trying to detach her body from his, and a certain discomfort she was feeling on her pelvis, while asking. **"And could you lower something else also…"**

"**What?"** He asked her, before closing his eyes, while smirking and suddenly understanding what she meant, adding in a murmur. "**Not for the time being, while I am feeling you, almost naked, and so close to me…It is a normal man reaction of having a gorgeous naked woman waking up in his bed in the morning!" **

"**My bed…" **She responded to him,before putting her finger back on top of his lips while hearing the bedroom door being open.

"**Caroline?" **Tyler called her, while entering thebedroom, and closing the door behind him, while rapidly scattering the bedroom, taking a few walking step toward the bathroom, opening the door, and looking rapidly inside, before turning on himself and redirecting his walking steps toward the bedroom door, before holding his pace in front of the wall closet, and looking at the door, making Caroline close her eyes and recite in her mind, an old prayer that her mother used to tell her when she was a little girl. For an unknown reason of her, she would be petrified and ashamed if Tyler would find her with Stefan, in this compromising position…After all, it is her who asked Tyler to participate to this charade! Stefan almost opened the closet door, before being stopped by her, with a beseeching look and a hold on his hand.

"**Please…"** She murmured to him, making him lower his arm and hand, and nodding his head to her.

Tyler cell phone ran with the sound of a stupid dance music tone, making him stop his staring at the door, before reaching for it in his pocket.

"**Yes?" **He answered, adding madly. **"That was not our deal…You promise to keep her save, if I was keeping my end of the bargain…"**

Caroline raised her sight to look at Stefan…He lowered his stare on her, while knitting his eyes, and listening to the rest of the one-sided conversation.

"**Fine…I'll do my best…I'll meet you there, **_Klaus_**!" **Tyler agreed, before angrily closing his cell phone and stepping out rapidly of the bedroom, leaving a speechless and petrified Caroline, with a silent Stefan at her side.

Caroline pushed the closet door open, before stepping out in the bedroom with one of her right hand in front of her chest, how can this even be possible? Tyler was related to Klaus? She turned to see Stefan bending himself toward the floor, to reach for his PJ bottom that had slipped behind the arm chair, before dressing himself, and turning to look at her, with both of his hands on each side of his waist, while shaking his head in negation, and addressing himself to her:

"**You want to tell me what in hell this is all about, Caroline?"**

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><p>Awww this was fun! LOL…<span>Can't wait to read your reviews my dear readers!<span>

Going back to my two other stories now, till next chapter, keep safe!


	6. Cherry on top!

**AN UNEXPECTED LOVE AFFAIR - PART 2**

Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

**Writer's note**: A bit of everything in this chapter: Flashbacks, steamy scenes, surprises! ;) Caroline is protecting her heart big time in this chapter…She's been hurt before by Stefan, and, she don't want to take the same route again…Even, if her relationship with Tyler is a make believe, she refuse to give herself so easily and willingly to Stefan! Enjoy my readers! Also, the two stories are slowly starting to be link together, so I keep you up to date with some extracts.

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><p><strong>Extract from my DELENA story:<br>"Whisper of the past"  
>Chapter 7: SHOUT!<strong>

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><p>"<strong>You're not going to acknowledge what I said to you, am I right, Alex…Like a true coward, you will put aside the fact that I could be right with the fact that you are Damon Salvatore!"<strong> She said him, while keeping the bed sheet in front of her chest.

Alex slowly turned his head, to look at her for a short moment.

"**I could be the King of England also, Elena ….But unfortunately for you, I'm just Alex, the guy that you hate the most…I will never be what you want me to be! Put that in your little pretty head of yours; drop your fantasy of me as the Prince charming that will save you!"**Alex said to her, while straightening himself, and sliding his legs on the side of the bed.**"You know what is actually funny with you, princess? You think that you know what you need to be happy…When in fact you have no idea of who you really are, way more than me actually…Which is pathetic!"**Alex added to her, with a small laugh adding. **"I am starting my day, Elena…I don't want to hear the name of Damon Salvatore, coming one more time from your lips, did I made myself clear…And at the present time, I have other priorities than your little pretty ass…So, while I am gone….clean the bedroom and the mess that you made of it last night!"**He added to her, while turning on himself, and glaring at her.

"**I met Samantha yesterday…"** Elena said to him, with a devious smile on her face.

Alex startled a little, but kept silent at her saying, while walking naked toward the small locker, reaching for a pair of jeans, socks, and a t-shirt on a shelf, before passing his leg in it.

"**She is a beautiful little girl…"** She continued, while closing her fists in anger, enjoying in herself, the plan to make him pay.

"**What now, Elena...You're going to shout another lie in my face, playing a new game, in hope, that you'll be able to turn me around your little finger, one more time?"**He asked her, while sitting on the edge of the bed, near her, to pull up his bicker boots, before rising on his feet, and directing his walk toward the bedroom door.

"**Oh no, Alex…I don't play any more game with you today, just a truthful fact! You don't want to believe that you are Damon Salvatore, fine! But, Damon Salvatore existed…Just know that!"**She said to him, while rising on her feet, pulling the sheet out of the bed, to enroll in it, before walking toward him. **"…As much as Rose is not coming from my imagination!"**

"**Oh ya…And what will be your story today, Elena?"**He asked her, while lowering his head, locking his eyes with hers. **"Who's that Rose?"** Alex asked her.

Elena raised her chin in the air, while smirking sadistically at him.

"**Oh...Nobody that should really affect you, Alex…You're not Damon Salvatore after all…Because, you see, in my fantasy world, Rose is actually, mine and Damon Salvatore's daughter...She is about five years old…And what a coincidence, about the same age, than the time that you have lost your own memory…But, rest assure…Nothing that should concern you, really!"**Elena said to him, raising her chin in the air, while smirking sadistically at him, before slamming the door in his face, leaving a speechless, and mouth open, tormented, in complete shock, Alex in front of the close door.

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><p><strong>Small recaps: Chapter 5 <strong>

**"Hidden secrets"**

* * *

><p>"<strong>Caroline?" <strong>Tyler called her, while entering thebedroom, and closing the door behind him, while rapidly scattering the bedroom, taking a few walking step toward the bathroom, opening the door, and looking rapidly inside, before turning on himself and redirecting his walking steps toward the bedroom door, before holding his pace in front of the wall closet, and looking at the door, making Caroline close her eyes and recite in her mind, an old prayer that her mother used to tell her when she was a little girl. For an unknown reason of her, she would be petrified and ashamed if Tyler would find her with Stefan, in this compromising position…After all, it is her who asked Tyler to participate to this charade! Stefan almost opened the closet door, before being stopped by her, with a beseeching look and a hold on his hand.

"**Please…"** She murmured to him, making him lower his arm and hand, and nodding his head to her.

Tyler cell phone ran with the sound of a stupid dance music tone, making him stop his staring at the door, before reaching for it in his pocket.

"**Yes?" **He answered, adding madly. **"That was not our deal…You promise to keep her save, if I was keeping my end of the bargain…"**

Caroline raised her sight to look at Stefan…He lowered his stare on her, while knitting his eyes, and listening to the rest of the one-sided conversation.

"**Fine…I'll do my best…I'll meet you there, **_Klaus_**!" **Tyler agreed, before angrily closing his cell phone and stepping out rapidly of the bedroom, leaving a speechless and petrified Caroline, with a silent Stefan at her side.

Caroline pushed the closet door open, before stepping out in the bedroom with one of her right hand in front of her chest, how can this even be possible? Tyler was related to Klaus? She turned to see Stefan bending himself toward the floor, to reach for his PJ bottom that had slipped behind the arm chair, before dressing himself, and turning to look at her, with both of his hands on each side of his waist, while shaking his head in negation, and addressing himself to her:

"**You want to tell me what in hell this is all about, Caroline?"**

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><p><strong>Chapter 6<strong>

**"CHERRY ON TOP!"**

* * *

><p>Caroline took a few steps toward the bed, before taking a sitting position on it, while passing a rapid and nervous hand through her hair.<p>

"**Caroline?"** Stefan asked, for the second time, taking a few steps himself to reach her sitting position, while standing in front of her with both of his hands on each side of his waist, before staring into her eyes.

"**What? Why are you looking at me like this, Stefan?"** She asked him, before standing in front of him in a copy cat position, while placing both of her hands on each side of her waist. **"What are you implying? I swear, I have no idea what is going on with Tyler and Klaus!"** She said to him.

"**I'm not implying a thing, Caroline…I've been gone for the past five years, I have no way of knowing what happened in here in my absence…But, it is obvious that Tyler is now one of Klaus's pawns! And we both know that his threat mentioned to Elena five years ago was as real as it can get!" **Stefan explained, while locking his eyes with hers.

"**And we both know how precious Elena is to you!" **She spitted in his face, while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"**What in hell?" **Stefan replied to her, while shaking his head from right to left.** "This is coming from where? Yes, Elena is important to me…she will always be, Caroline…And she is to you also, you know that!" **He lashed out at her.

"**Of course she is! She is one of my best friends! I'll do anything for her…And way more than you could imagine**!" Caroline responded to him, while thinking about her promise made to Elena, to not blow a word on Rose.** "But we also know that the reason you left Mystic Falls five years ago was all because of her, and the fact that you could not digest that your brother had took your place in her heart!" **She continued screaming in his face.

"**Oh, here we go! You are choosing now, of all times, to discuss something that I wanted to discuss with you since my return to Mystic Falls, and been begging you to discuss with me!" **Stefan responded angrily to her.

"**I don't want to discuss what is obvious to me, Stefan! It is enough that I had to live with it for the past five years!"** She continued screaming at him.

"**That is where you are completely wrong, Caroline…" **He replied to her, while shaking his head, and lowering his sight on the floor. **"…You are far from knowing my real reasons for leaving Mystic Falls…But I am certainly not ashamed to say that one of them was to try to find my brother…I could never let him go so easily…Never!" **He added, while raising his head and staring in her eyes.

"**I know how much you love Damon; it's never been a question in my head…"** She murmured to him, while lowering her sight and thinking to herself: "_It was more a question of knowing if you had any kind of feelings toward me_?", but she kept quiet instead. "…**I swear that I have no idea of what is going on with Tyler, Stefan…I was as surprised as you were! I don't know what to think about it?" **She explained to him, while shaking her head. **"…Maybe…Maybe Klaus is compelling him…Or he is threatening him with something or someone? Tyler would not harm Elena in any way, I am sure of that!" **She added to him.

"**Maybe not intentionally, but if he had no choice in the matter, and was push to do it, he would, Caroline!"** Stefan replied to her, adding. **"The proof is that he said nothing to you about this!"**

"**I know…" **She replied to him, while rubbing her hands together. **"…What are we going to do?"** She asked him.

"**I don't know…"** Stefan replied to her, while gesturing with his arms wide open, adding. **"…I'll have to follow him, and try to find out more….Obviously; Klaus is back in town…And is waiting for Elena to show up…" **Stefan added while passing a quick hand on his face, before tilting his head, looking at her and asking.** "…Where is Elena anyway? Her last school semester is finished; she should be home already?"**

Caroline almost jumped out of her skin at his saying, while nervously putting the bedspread back on the bed.

"**I told you already, she was taking a break before coming back to Mystic Falls, she wanted to relax after her exams…She studied hard the past years to become a nurse." **Caroline nervously mumbled in her teeth.

"**She's not answering her phone…I left hundred of messages?"** Stefan added with concerns.

"**She must be partying hard with some hot doctors somewhere, celebrating her nursing diploma!"** Caroline replied evasively to him, while shrugging her shoulders.

"**Yes, you must be right…"** Stefan said to her, making Caroline closed her eyes with relieve.

"**So, what am I supposed to do with Tyler now?" **Caroline asked, while turning to face him.

"**Caroline…I beg you to not tell him what we heard this morning…"** Stefan asked her to do. **"…I need to find out more before planning anything that could backfire in our faces…In a way I am glad that Elena is not here yet…" **He added to her, continuing. "…**And it would be great if you would** **just continue your charade with him?" **He added to her, making her raise her head to look at him.

"**What **_charade _**are you talking about?"** She asked him, with an open mouth and eyes expression, while approaching nearer of his standing position.

Stefan grinned at her, before crossing his arms in front of his chest, and bending his head near hers.

"**The theatrical performance you put in place with Tyler to make me believe that you were together…When in fact you were playing me for a fool, Caroline!"** He replied to her, while winking at her.

"**What are you talking about?"** Caroline exclaimed to him, while slightly blushing at his saying. **"I don't understand what you are saying, Stefan?"** She added with an angrier tone of voice, while trying to maintain a calm attitude in front of him. In a matter of ten minutes, her life had shifted in the most awkward and horrific ways possible!

"**Rose heard a conversation between you and Tyler, when you were discussing the fact that he was playing the part of your boyfriend for my eyes only…I guess, you were trying to make me jealous…I am actually flattered, surprised that Lockwood accepted to go along with your plan…but flatter!" **Stefan said to her, while smirking.

"**Well, she made a mistake…She is five years old, what are you expecting? She obviously put up a fantasy in her head and had no idea what the conversation was really about…She don't like Tyler very much…She only has eyes for you…You think I have time to play these kind of game in my life Stefan? I leave that to you…It's more your style!" **She started explaining to him, while avoiding looking at him in the eyes, blushing intensively, and walking toward the wall closet.** "Little girl have wild imagination, get over yourself Salvatore!"**

Stefan smirked even more, while reaching her standing position in front of the wall closet, sliding his hands around her waist**, **while putting his lips in top of her right ear lobe.

"**You are like Rose, Caroline…And you know it…"** Stefan murmured in her ear, making her close her eyes, while enjoying his arms around her, and the range of shivers passing through her entire body, if only for a short moment. **"….Your eyes are focusing on me!"** He added in a whisper to her, while sliding his mouth on her neck.

Caroline suddenly opened her eyes, while getting rid of his hands on her waist, before turning on herself and pushing Stefan away from her.

"**You have an ego the size of the planet, Salvatore!"** She replied to him, while taking panties, a tank top, a pair of jeans, and a white shirt, from her wall closet, before closing the door with anger.

"**Well, then my over size ego, was more than satisfied last night…With your screams of pleasure, while being in my arms and not the ones of Lockwood!"** Stefan angrily responded to her.

"**Well…."** Caroline said to him, while blushing.

"**Well, what?"** Stefan asked her.

"**Well…It was a mistake for me! We drank too much, and we rekindled an old sexual attraction between us…Nothing more! I made a huge mistake…And, I'm sorry about that…But, I want to be with Tyler now!"** She mumbled, almost incoherently, to him.

"**You got to be kidding me, Forbes!" **Stefan lashed out to her.** "An old rekindled sexual attraction…That is what it was for you?" **

"**What do you think it was?" **Caroline said to him, while intentionally undressing herself in front of him, hoping that by standing naked in front of him, he would maybe take the hint that his presence had no effect on her.

Caroline dropped her dressing gown on the floor, while standing naked in front of his eyes, before slowly reaching for the clean clothes that she had put on her bed.

Stefan froze on spot, while sliding his sight on her naked body, her shapely legs, her round and inviting hips, her perfect breasts.** "**_Gosh! She was so beautiful!_**" **He thought to himself, while passing a rapid hand on his face, stroking his eyes, to help him focus on the present problem in hands, and not the fact that he could have pass the entire morning making passionate love to the woman he was madly in love with, if this all "Lockwood – Klaus" problem had not suddenly appeared.

Caroline dressed herself, while passing her jeans, a pink tank top, and a white, open shirt, before taking a hair clip left on the bedside table, raising her hair up in a loose bun on her head.

"**Listen, Stefan…Last night was very nice, but, it was just a **_one night stand_** for both of us…I'll get back to my life, taking care of Rose for the time being…And you'll get back to protecting Elena very soon and making sure that Klaus will not harm her in any ways!" **She explained to him, while avoiding looking at him in the eyes.

Stefan shook his head, while smiling sarcastically, and taking a few steps to reach her, making her take a few steps backward herself, before hitting the wall behind her back. He put both of his hands on each side of her head, before bending his head near hers, locking his eyes with hers, hip lips murmuring in top of hers:

"**Liar…" **Stefan murmured to her,adding.** "…You know perfectly well that last night meant a lot more to us than what you are trying to make me swallow that it did for you!"**

"**No…It did not mean anything…" **Caroline whispered to him, while fixating her eyes on his lips.

"**Kiss me…"** He whispered to her, before sliding his lips on hers, while holding her face with both of his hands.

"**Stop it!"** Caroline mumbled in top of his lips, while trying to squirm herself out of his arms, without being able to succeed. Stefan's lips were brushing her lips, his hands rubbing sensually her hips, while slowly sliding them under her tank top to caress her bare, burning skin, crashing his lips, time after time, on hers, in a demanding exchanged of kisses, while sliding his tongue between her wet and tasty lips, before twirling his tongue with hers.

He raised her body on the wall, before sliding his hands under her bottom, forcing her to cross her legs around his waist, keeping her in a elevating position on the wall, while sliding his right hand on her chest, before cupping her left breast, slowly caressing its hard nipple with his thumb in an unbearable erotic caress, making her groaned of pleasure on his lips, while feeling her hands grabbing his hair.

In a burst of restraint, Caroline suddenly turned her face to the right, to avoid kissing him further more, while feeling his lips sliding on the left side of her neck, devouring each inch of her silky skin. **"I won't give in, Stefan…"** She murmured to him, while closing her eyes, and trying to get grips on the heated growing fire in her lower body parts. She needed to protect her heart this time! She needed to put a distance between her and Stefan Salvatore!

Stefan raised his head, while locking his eyes with hers, and releasing his hold on her, slowly sliding her feet back on the floor.

"**Ok, you don't want this now…But, you'll be begging me for more in no time, Forbes!"** He mockingly responded to her.

"**You're dreaming, Salvatore!"** She responded to him, while keeping her stare in his, and raising her chin in a confrontational gesture.

Stefan detached his body from hers, before taking her chin in his right hand, bending his head one more time near her left ear.

"**I'll be waiting for you…Because I know that you'll come to me!" **He sarcastically whispered to her, while kissing her cheek, before walking toward the bedroom door, and suddenly turning his head to look at her one more time. **"I'll go wake up Rose!" **He added, while winking at her, before leaving the bedroom.

Caroline stomped her feet on the wooded floor, while closing her fists in anger, picking a decorative pillow on the bed, before throwing it at the door.

"**I hate you, Stefan Salvatore! You can be as pretentious as you want…This and what happened last night… will never happen again!"** She screamed from the top of her lungs, while hearing him burst into laughter behind the close door, before hearing him reply:

"**Tell that to Tyler! Not to me!" **

She started to pace back and forth in front of the bed, her arms crossed in front of her chest. Great! Everything was so perfect now! She had to continue her charade with Tyler for Stefan to leave her alone, and if that was not enough, Stefan's own order for her was to do so! How twisted was that?

And as the cherry on top of the cake, she needed to put a new charade with Stefan in front of Tyler, to hide the fact that she knew his connection to the enemy! If not enough, Klaus was back in town, Rose was in the middle of everything, and no one except her knew who this little girl was, everything was so great and perfect! She had no news of Elena, and no way to contact her! And if that was not enough, she hated herself even more for giving herself to Stefan yesterday night! She had promised herself to not take that route with him ever again in her life!

She walked toward her bedside table, and took her mobile phone in her shaking hands, before dialling her mother's.

"**Liz Forbes!"** She heard her mother answered.

"**Hey mum!"** Caroline said to her, while taking a sitting position on the bed, and feeling tears rolling on her cheeks.

"**Caroline? It's early…Are you ok, sweetie?"** Her mother asked.

"**I'm fine…Just a little blues that hit me suddenly…"** Caroline said to her mother, adding. **"…I needed to hear your voice."**

"**Oh, sweetie, I'm sorry to hear….Is it because of Tyler or Stefan this time?"** Liz asked her, making Caroline roll her eyes on the ceiling…Great! Now she was a men _bitch_ to the eyes of her own mother.

"**Neither! I am just tired…"** Caroline replied to her mother, while lying to her mother.

"**I would take time to go at your house, and see you, if you need me to be there?"** Liz asked her daughter.

"**No, no need for you to do that…I will take the day to rest, and do some house chores...And make time to be with Rose!"** Caroline replied to her mother.

"**Ok, sweetie…Don't hesitate to call me if you need me there, ok?"** Her mother said to her.

"**Ok…"** Caroline replied to her mother, while nodding her head. **"Oh, mum?"**

"**Yes, Caroline?"** Liz said to her.

"**Did you see Carol Lockwood these days?"** Caroline asked her mother.

"**I actually saw her two or three days ago..."** Liz answered her.

"**And, she seemed ok to you?"** Caroline asked her more.

"**Yes, of course…Well...Now that you mention it…She seemed a bit absent!"** Liz informed Caroline.

"**What do you mean absent?"** Caroline demanded.

"**Well…Like her body was there, but not her mind."** Liz explained to her, adding. **"I asked her if she was feeling alright…And she replied to me, that she was just a bit tired." **

Caroline froze on the spot, while lowering her cell phone. If Carol Lockwood had been compelled by Klaus, it would explain why Tyler would want to protect his own mother.

"**Caroline?"** She heard his mother voice scream in the speaker.

"**Yes, I'm sorry, Mum…I'm here…Ok, I'll talk to you later!"** Caroline said to her mother, before ending their phone conversation, putting her cell phone back on her bedside table, while realizing that one missing piece of the puzzle could in fact be: Carol Lockwood!

* * *

><p>Tyler walked into the corridors of the prestigious hotel, before knocking on the door of the penthouse suite, being greeted by a vampire man, who nodded his head toward the direction of the main living room. Tyler walked toward the showned room, and took a few more steps to place himself in front of a man that was comfortably sitting on a leather arm chair, and was sipping a glass of Brandy.<p>

"**Ah…The young Lockwood finally arrived!"** The man exclaimed to him, before jumping on his feet, and taking a few walking steps to reach the bar counter. **"What can I serve you, Tyler?"** He asked him.

"**What about the freedom of compulsion on my mother, Klaus!" **Tyler angrily spit in his face.

"**Yes, I heard…The unfortunate incident of your mother falling down the stairs, couple of days ago!"** Klaus sarcastically said to him, while shaking his head**. "You know, you should take better care of her, family is so important..."** He mockingly added to Tyler, while smirking, and pouring himself another glass of Brandy.

"**You compelled her to fall on these stairs…I swear to you, Klaus!"** Tyler angrily mumbled in his teeth.

"**You are swearing what exactly, Tyler?"** Klaus asked him, while turning to stare at him, tilting his head, and gulping his glass entirely.

Tyler shook his head, while placing his hands on each side of his waist, and turning his sight away from Klaus to calm himself.

"**Your part in this game was perfectly explained to you, Tyler… Prior to the freedom of compulsion on your mother, you will need to simply be my eyes, and spying on the young Salvatore and his delightful girlfriend…If you fulfill the conditions of our agreement, I don't see any reason for your mother to kill herself…She will commit suicide, only if you are not fulfilling your part of the deal. It is as easy as that!"** Klaus said to him.

"**She is not his girlfriend!"** Tyler angrily replied to him.

"**Aww my friend, you are so young and naive!"** Klaus responded to Tyler, while smiling. **"So, any news on the whereabouts of Elena Gilbert"** He added to Tyler.

"**No!"** Tyler responded to Klaus, while shaking his head. **"For what Caroline told me, she took some time off for a vacation away from Mystic Falls!"**

"**Perfect then…" **Klaus replied, while smirking and walking to reach Tyler's standing position, before crossing his arms in front of his chest and staring at his werewolf pawn.

"**I don't understand? You needed Elena for your stupid sacrifice…Why is it ok that she is away now?"** Tyler asked him.

"**Mysterious, Isn't it?" **Klaus mockingly replied to Tyler, adding.** "Well, you can say that I prefer Elena Gilbert to be away from Mystic Falls from now on, because I don't need her anymore!"**

* * *

><p>Stefan got out of his adjacent bathroom, while passing a towel on his wet hair to dry it off, before putting a hand on the right side of his temple, while rubbing his fingers on the sensitive spot, to release the pressure. These headaches were more frequent these days, and he knew what they were all about, and what kind of memories would follow them…Pieces of the puzzle of his lost memory…the pieces that were involving Klaus. But, this time, it was triggered by Tyler's involvement with his enemy.<p>

He tumbled on the floor, while holding his head with both of his hands, before having this vivid memory coming back to him.

_One of his first thought while waking up was that his mouth tasted like dry sand, it was obvious that he did not fed himself with blood for a long time. He slowly lifted his eyelids, while noticing a small ray of light coming from a lighted torch placed on the wall in front of him. He turned his head from right to left, finally realizing that he had been placed on a chair, with his hands tied up, in what seemed to be a recluse dungeon. The right side of his face was hurting like hell, his left cheek had swollen almost to the point of him not being able to open his eye…He had probably been hit several times while being locked up in this imprisonment._

_He had lost his present memory and was not able to recall what had previously happened to him? How he got / and who brought him / there? He tried to break free of his ties, but without being able to succeed. It is at that moment that the dungeon's door opened, inviting in its dark walls a black shadow that Stefan did not recognized at first sight. _

"_Who are you? What do you want from me?" Stefan mumbled in his teeth. _

"_Ah my dear Stefan…You're hurting my feelings now! You are not recognizing your long lost friend when in the same room as him?" He heard a sarcastic voice, said to him. _

"_Klaus…" Stefan angrily whispered to him. _

"_Now that is a much nicer attitude…" Stefan heard him say, while seeing him take a chair, and taking place in front of Stefan's sitting position, while elevating one of his legs on his opposite knee. _

"_Go to hell…" Stefan mumbled in his teeth. _

"_Well, my friend…Not to burst your happy bubble, but I believe that it is you who reached the slums of hell at the present moment!" Klaus replied to Stefan, with a sadistic tone of laughter, before adding. "Aren't you a bit thirsty at the moment, my ripper comrade?" _

_Stefan raised his head and stare at him, while seeing Klaus showing him a bag of human blood under his nose. _

"_That looks tasty, isn't it?" Klaus asked him, with a sadistic smile showing on his face, before adding. "Many more from where these are coming from? Are you tempted?" _

_Stefan felt the dry veins rising on his neck and face, while transforming to his vampire self. He lowered his sight away from the blood bag, while closing his eyes and fists to gain control. _

"_You have such control with yourself, Stefan." Klaus said to him, adding. "You used to be more fun back in the days…" _

_Stefan raised one of his eyebrows, while wondering what he meant by "back in the days"?_

"_What did you do to me?" Stefan asked him. _

"_Nothing that you should worry about for the time being…And for many years to come…" Klaus responded to him, with a smirk on his face. _

"_I don't remember anything? Where are we?" Stefan asked him. _

"_Chicago…" Klaus responded to him, adding sarcastically. "It had been a while since we bumped into each other, since our last encounter; I was feeling a bit nostalgic…And I wanted to see you!"_

_Stefan shook his head from right to left, before recalling having found a lead on Damon's whereabouts in Chicago, that must be why he was here._

"_Damon…" Stefan whispered, more to himself than Klaus. _

"_Awww yes….Your long lost brother!" Klaus exclaimed to him, while shaking his head in false empathy, before adding in a mocking tone of voice. "Or did you meant: Alex? We are not exactly sure of who he is these days, aren't we?" _

_Stefan raised his head and look at him, while closing his fists with anger. _

"_You should know that I am always a few steps ahead of you, my friend!" Klaus responded to him, while ripping the plastic bag with his teeth and drinking the blood from it. "Mm…Good stuff…You're sure you don't want any?" He mocked him, while showing the blood bag. "What happened to your urge to become Stefan the Ripper once again, Mm? You have it on the control now, in this long crusade of finding Damon/Alex, or whatever your brother's name is these days? Ok then…Do as you wish, my dear Stefan…But, just know that I will need for you to not have it under the control in a further future."_

"_Leave my brother out of it; you did enough damage as it is to him!" Stefan lashed out at him. _

_Klaus stood up, while pushing his chair away from him, with the tip of his boots, before approaching Stefan's sitting position. He bended his head near Stefan's, while locking his sight with his, sliding his right hand on Stefan chest, while feeling his muscles tense under his fingers touch. _

"_You're loosing your humanity in you, Stefan…The angrier part of you is showing again…I like it!" Klaus smirked at him, while feeling Stefan squirm under his touch. _

"_Leave my brother and Elena alone!" Stefan mumbled in his teeth to him. _

"_Fair enough…" Klaus responded to him, while detaching himself from Stefan's sitting position. "For now…I'll leave your little fantasy world alone, but just know this…" He continued, bending his head near his once more, while looking at him in the eyes. "I'll hunt you down at the right moment, and you'll play my game my dear friends…As I please, and as I want!" _

Stefan got back to the present reality, while getting a grip on himself and strengthening his body in a standing position. That scene was always replaying in his mind since two years.

After his mysterious abduction, he had found himself passed out, and lying on a dark street alley in Chicago, with his belonging placed beside him.

Missing pieces of that day were never found, and he had no idea what Klaus's purposes were for abducting him that way, and especially giving him back his freedom so soon afterward?

He reached for a t-shirt on his bed, before dressing himself with it. But one sure thing, he knew is that Klaus return to Mystic Falls was related to that day, and more so, what he had done to him.

* * *

><p>Later in the day, Caroline walked into the upstairs corridor, passing in front of Damon's old bedroom door, while carrying fresh washed clothes in a basket, when she noticed the door being half open.<p>

For the sake of her sanity and to keep a normal day to day routine for Rose, she had kept quiet, while smiling and doing her daily chores to not alert the little girl of imminent danger that were lurking near them, even if she was feeling uneasy with Klaus presence in town.

She pushed the door wide open, while entering inside and scattering the room. She finally noticed Rose who was sitting in top of the gigantic bed.

"**Sweetie, what are you doing here alone?"** Caroline asked her, while dropping her basket on the floor, and walking to reach the little girl sitting position.

"**Can I be here, Aunty Caroline?"** Rose asked her, while raising her head.

"**Of course you can be here…"** Caroline said to her, while caressing her hair, and taking a sitting position near Rose, before adding. **"…You can be anywhere in the house, sweetie. It's a beautiful room, isn't it?"**

"**Yes…" **Rose answered Caroline.** "…I like it in here, Aunty Caroline."**

"**You do?" **Caroline replied to her, while trying to hold her tears, being touched by the fact that this was Damon's room, and that Rose had no idea that it was in fact the bedroom of her father.

Rose nodded her head, while holding a picture frame near her little chest.

"**What do you have there?"** Caroline asked the little girl, before taking the wooded frame away from her hands. **"Oh…A picture of your Uncle Stefan." **Caroline said to her, with a smile, while noticing Damon standing beside Stefan, before seeing Rose nodding her head once more.

"**Yes…"** The little girl said to Caroline **"…But not just Uncle Stefan, Aunty Caroline."** She added while shaking her head in negation.

"**Yes, I see there is another man with your Uncle Stefan on the picture…It's his brother, his name is Damon…He went away to travel the world, sweetie."** Caroline explained to Rose, while caressing her hair once again, and looking at the picture of the two Salvatore brothers. There was no need for her to explain anything to the little girl. Elena had never talked about Damon to Rose, and therefore, she thought, it wasn't her place to do it either.

"**I know…" **Rose responded to Caroline, while nodding her head. **"…He's my father!"** Rose added in exclamation to Caroline, making her almost jumped out of her skin, while raising her sight on her, and loosing all the colors in her face.

"**What did you just say?"** She mumbled almost incoherently.

"**The man in the picture with Uncle Stefan, Aunty Caroline…" **Rose repeated to her, while pointing Damon with one of her little fingers and nodding her head. **"…He** **is my daddy!" **She added, whileleaving a mouth open, speechless Caroline at her side.

* * *

><p>Yes, I know! (LOL), I am truly awful with my stories cliff hangers these days…So, be nice to me…Tell yourself that the story is now more and more interesting ;)<p>

Truly love my little group of STAROLINE readers…You are all very nice...Can't wait to read you.

Going back to my two other stories now, till next chapter, my dear readers….keep safe!


	7. If the truth were known

**AN UNEXPECTED LOVE AFFAIR - PART 2**

Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

**Writer's note**: I have nothing to say on this chapter…Because I can't say anything! (LOL)…Except, like always: humour, sexy scenes, and the unexpected! But, I can tell you that we are heading toward an 70'-80' disco dance at the Lockwood's in the next chapter, and you'll feel a bit of that energy in this one…Time to put your dancing shoes and remember the good old disco time!

Take into consideration my dear readers, that I just been hired for a new full time/day job…That will put a slower pace on my writing of my three fan fiction stories. But, rest assure that I will finish this story for sure. So be understanding and patient with me. Thanks.

**Song choices****: **_No more tears (Enough is enough) / Barbara Streisand and Donna Summer_

* * *

><p><strong>Extract from my DELENA story:<br>"Whisper of the past"  
>Chapter 8: Somebody to love<strong>

* * *

><p><em>Underground, early morning, next day<em>

The man stepped out of the industrial elevator that brought him and two of his vampire men into Alex's underground. He signed them with his hands, silently, to follow his steps, while stepping into the narrow and dark corridors, before arriving in the middle of an open underground space/room. He stopped, while signing his man to hold back their walking pace behind him, hearing the loading of weapons. He held his hands above his head, while smirking.

"**I come in peace!"** He said out loud, before seeing a man getting out of his dark hiding space.

Alex's vampire man approached him, while locking his stare in the man's and noticing his none heartbeat.

"**He's a vampire!"** The thug screamed into the empty space, making others show their faces, with their weapons in their hands.

"**Now, gentlemen…We all know that your weapons won't be of any help against the vampires that we are…There is no need to get upset!"** The man sarcastically said, while gesturing with his hands in negation, and smirking to them, before adding. **"I'm just here to meet your boss…I heard quite a few extraordinary stories about him, and your crusades as the terrorizing biker group of vampires…And, WOW**!**I am quite fascinated actually."**

"**Why would he be interested in meeting you?"**Bill sarcastically replied, while showing his face out of the shadow, while limping with his injured leg toward the intruder.**"And you would be disturbing him; he is busy watching his favorite program on television right now…You see he's a big fan of**_I love Lucy_**re-runs!"** Bill added to the intruder, hearing Alex's men bursting into laughter at his joke.

"**Ah…I'm a sucker for good humor!"**The man replied, while smiling, and shaking his head, before adding**. "You must be his right arm man, in all his glory?"** The man added to Bill, with a sarcastic humor, and a smile plastered on his face, while crossing his arms in front of his chest, and taking a few steps himself, to reach him. **"Well, make him interested then my friend, I'm not in the habit of being patient!"** The man added to Bill.

"**Well, then you could take your ass out of here…And go see if you can find him elsewhere!"** Bill answered him, while hearing Alex's men bursting into laughter a second time.

"**Or I could rip your leaver into pieces in a second!"** The man responded, while bending his head near Bill's, and angrily adding as an order. "**Make him show himself to me, now!"**

"**It's very hard that someone would be able to make me do something that I don't want to do!"** A cold and ordering voice exclaimed loudly, making the man raise his head and smirk at Alex's appearance, in top of a steel platform.

Alex came down the steel stairs, while approaching the man's standing position, before placing his body in front of his, and locking his cold-icy stare with the stranger's.

"**Who are you, and what gives you the idea that you can enter my world without any consequences, while thinking that you will have the slimmest chance to get out of here without me slicing you into pieces?"** Alex asked the man in front of him, while placing his hands on each side of his waist.

"**Who wants to know?"** The vampire man sarcastically replied to him, while approaching his face at a near inch of Alex's.

"**You worst nightmare…"** Alex responded to the man, before lowering his head and spitting on the man's boots. **"…Oh my bad, I can be so clumsy sometimes"**He added to him, while smirking at the man.

"**Mm…"** The man mumbled to Alex, while looking at his soiled boots and raising his stare back in Alex's. **"You're so arrogant now…So pretentious…I like it!"**The man added to him, while taking a few walking steps around Alex, before coming back in front of him, and continuing. **"You can simply call me Klaus!"**

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 7<strong>

**"IF THE TRUTH WERE KNOWN"**

* * *

><p>Caroline nervously poured herself a cup of her morning coffee, dropping some of the liquid on the kitchen counter by accident, before passing a wet cloth to clean the spill, stopping her task at hands a few seconds later, while putting both of her hands on the edge of the counter, lowering her head, closing her eyes, and counting silently to ten. She almost did not sleep the previous night, and the sun was slowly rising at this present moment, it was not even six o'clock in the morning.<p>

The two past days of hiding herself away from both Stefan and Tyler had put her nerves to the limit of tolerance. Caroline had managed to keep herself busy at the bakery shop, and making excuses to Tyler as why she was so busy, and could not play her charade in front of Stefan, for the time being. She dropped the content of her cup in the sink, before directing her walk toward the fridge, thinking that after all, a fresh orange juice would be better for her nerves.

As for Stefan, he was for the most of the time, out of the house, seeking/searching, while tracking every move of Tyler, and trying to find out if Klaus was still in town and most of all, what was his present need and purpose with Tyler? She was more than happy for the free time she was granted away from him…Especially that each time they had bumped into each other in the house, he was looking at her with this intense glare and unbearable smirk that meant: _I know you want me…I'm patient, I'll wait for you till you'll give what I want! _

If this was not stressful enough, her last conversation with Rose had truthfully made her more anxious than ever! Elena was not mistaken when she had told her that Rose was a special child, gifted with supernatural faculties. Caroline had received the news that Rose knew about Damon being her father, like a tone of bricks on her head.

She reached for a glass on a kitchen cabinet shelf, before pouring orange juice in it, and drifting to a very recent past memory event…

* * *

><p><em>Damon's bedroom, two days ago<em>

_(…)_

"_What do you have there?" Caroline asked the little girl, before taking the wooded frame away from her hands. "Oh…A picture of your Uncle Stefan." Caroline said to her, with a smile, while noticing Damon standing beside Stefan, before seeing Rose nodding her head once more. _

"_Yes…" The little girl said to Caroline "…But not just Uncle Stefan, Aunty Caroline." She added while shaking her head in negation. _

"_Yes, I see there is another man with your Uncle Stefan on the picture…It's his brother, his name is Damon…He went away to travel the world, sweetie." Caroline explained to Rose, while caressing her hair and looking at the picture of the two Salvatore brothers. There was no need for her to explain anything to the little girl. Elena had never talked about Damon to Rose, and therefore, she thought, it wasn't her place to do it either. _

"_I know…" Rose responded to Caroline, while nodding her head. "…He's my father!" Rose added in exclamation to Caroline, making her almost jumped out of her skin, while raising her sight on her, and loosing all the colors in her face._

"_What did you just say?" She mumbled almost incoherently. _

"_The man in the picture with Uncle Stefan, Aunty Caroline…" Rose repeated to her, while pointing Damon with one of her little fingers and nodding her head. "…He is my daddy!" She added, while leaving a mouth open, speechless Caroline at her side. _

Caroline closed her eyes for a split second to fully grasp what she just heard from Rose's mouth, before reopening them, and kneeling on the floor in front of the little girl, sliding her hands on the little girl's thighs.

"**What makes you think, sweetie, that…That Uncle Stefan's brother is you daddy?"** Caroline asked her, while locking her eyes with Rose's.

"**He is…"** She simply responded, while staring at Caroline, shrugging her little shoulders and blinking her eyes, acting like this question was already a known fact to her.

"**Is it your mummy who told you?"** Caroline asked her, still in amazement that the little girl always knew that fact from the start.

Rose shook her head in negation, before lowering her sight on the frame, and passing her little fingers on her daddy's picture.

"**I know, Aunty Caroline!"** Rose responded to her.

"**So…You know that Stefan is really your real Uncle, then?"** Caroline said to her, more as a statement to her, than to the little girl.

"**Of course, he is my real Uncle, Aunty Caroline…"** Rose responded to her, while giggling and putting her hands in front of her little mouth, to hold her laughter.

"**Ok…"** Caroline responded to her, while shaking her head still in complete shock, before closing her eyes. She needed to think for a second; clearly it was obvious that Rose was gifted, and able to see things that normal human being would not discover so easily. Now she needed to convince the little girl to keep this bit of information hidden from Stefan, till Elena's return. If ever Stefan would find out about Rose being his real niece, she would be toast, and he would never understand her motivation for keeping Elena's secrets, and hiding them from him. **"Sweetie…"** Caroline said to her, while caressing her hair, and smiling. **"…You want to play a funny game with your Aunt Caroline?"** She asked the little girl, while seeing Rose nodding in approbation, before adding. **"Can you just keep this little secret between us for now…We'll make a big surprise to your Uncle Stefan later, Ok? We'll tell him that you are his real niece, and that his brother Damon is your Daddy?"**

"**But, he's my Uncle Stefan, he knows that!" **Rose exclaimed in anger to Caroline, while pouting and punching her legs with her little fists.

"**Oh, sweetie…Of course, he knows!"** Caroline responded to her, while holding Rose little hands together. **"But you see, it's a bit complicated, and difficult to understand for a little girl…You are his little mouse, he loves you so much…But, he doesn't know that you are his real niece yet…Can you imagine how happy he'll be when he'll find out! He'll be sooooo happy!"** Caroline exclaimed to Rose, while smiling at her, and adding for herself in her head: "_And I'll be so dead_!"

"**Can I still call him: **_Uncle Stefan_**, Aunty Caroline?"** Rose asked Caroline.

"**Of course you can...But don't talk to him about your Daddy Damon for now, ok? Pinkie swears?"** Caroline asked her, while showing her little right finger to her, before holding it with Rose's little one.

"**Pinkie swears, Aunty Caroline…"** Rose responded to her, before asking. **"…Do you know when my Daddy will be back?"**

"**No, I don't, sweetie…"** Caroline responded, while shaking her head, smiling timidly to Rose, and caressing the little girl's head. **"…Your mummy is trying for find him!"**

"**I know!"** Rose responded to her, with a big smile on her face, while jumping away from the bed, carrying the picture frame in her arms, before being stopped by Caroline.

"**Sweetie, come here…"** Caroline called her, while seeing Rose come back toward her, before opening the back of the frame to take the picture, and folding it in two. **"You have to promise me that you will hide this picture for now, OK?"**

Rose nodded her head to her, before taking the folded picture in her hands, and rushing out of the bedroom. Caroline rose on a standing position, before closing her eyes, and putting a hand over her mouth; preventing her screams….She was in more trouble that she could have ever imagined!

* * *

><p>Caroline got back to reality, before shaking her head, and taking a sip or her orange juice, while taking a few steps toward the kitchen window, and closing her eyes to feel the warm of the sunrise one her face.<p>

Elena had certainly put more responsibilities on her shoulders that she could have ever imagined! Day after day, this all situation was harder and more difficult for her to handle, the lies were adding up, and the truth could not be found anymore. And how would it be possible to tell Rose that her father had become a monster, and that he would probably never be back in her life?

Stefan entered the kitchen, while stroking his eyes to help him wake up…Taking unsteady silent walking steps to reach the kitchen counter and the coffee maker, with only a body towel wrapped around his waist to dress himself…It was very early in the morning, near 6:00 a.m., he just took a quick cold shower to wake him up, and had decided to go downstairs to make himself a cup of coffee…The house was still very quiet, and Caroline and Rose were probably still sleeping. He did not see Caroline standing in front of the window at first sigh. He poured himself a cup of coffee, before turning and finally noticing her, before reaching her standing position.

"**Morning…"** He murmured near her left ear; making her jumped out of her skin, turn around in a hurry, while hitting with her left elbow the cup of coffee that Stefan was holding in his right hand, before seeing the hot brown liquid being spill all over his lower body. **"Damn it!"** Stefan screamed from the top of his lungs, before getting rid of the wet-burning towel, and throwing it on the floor.

"**Oh my God…I'm so sorry!" **Caroline exclaimed to him, while putting one of her hands on her chest, and looking at him with an open mouth expression, before adding.** "I did not hear you…I was in my thoughts…and…Are you burn? And, oh my God you're naked!"** Caroline mumbled almost incoherently to Stefan, while lowering her sight, blushing, and turning her head suddenly.

"**No, I'm not burned…One of the ups of being a vampire: speed reaction!"** He answered her, while shaking his head, before adding in a mocking tone of voice. **"And yes, at the present moment, I'm naked! Not like you did not see me naked before, Caroline?"**

"**Well…"** She mumbled, while avoiding looking at him, before taking a kitchen towel in her hands and handing it, without facing him.

"**What do you want me to do with this?"** Stefan asked her, while taking the small kitchen towel in his hands.

"**Put it in front of …You know!"** She responded to him, while gesturing with her hands.

"**I don't think that **_this_**…" **He said to her, while showing the small kitchen towel.** "…is going to cover what ever you want to cover, Caroline!"** He mockingly answered her, making her sighed in anger, taking back the kitchen towel from his hands, before reaching for two others in a drawers, and knotting them together.

"**What are you doing?"** Stefan asked her, completely dumbfounded, before bursting into laughter. **"Are you making me a plaid skirt?" **

"**There!"** Caroline replied, while ignoring his say, and handing the improvise towels-skirt to him. **"Put that on you!"** She ordered him, while facing the counter, rolling her eyes, and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Stefan took in his hands the towels, while placing them around his waist, with the biggest smirk on his face, before taking a few walking steps to reach her standing position, sliding his head near hers, with his hands placed on each side of his waist.

"**So…"** He started murmuring in her left ear, his lips placed on top of her lobe. **"…You seem a bit on edge, cupcake...Problems? Is it because you feel so drawn to me that you can't even control yourself when I am in front of you, in my birthday suit?" **Stefan mockingly asked her, while giggling.

"**Oh…" **She mumbled angrily, while pushing herself away from him. **"…You're so full of yourself, Salvatore!"**

"**I'm joking; Caroline…You're as tense as a violin string, for God sake!" **Stefan told her, while gesturing with his arms, before adding. **"I told you that I will not touch you anymore…"** He said to her, while leaning his back on the kitchen counter, crossing his arms in front of his chest. **"…Till you'll beg me to do it!"** He added, while smirking at her.

"**Well…that is not going to happen! I told you, it was a one night thing between us…And, that we should stay friends!"** She mumbled to him, nervously, and almost incoherently, while rinsing her glass in the sink. **"…And why are you walking naked in the house so early in the morning?" **

"**I was not naked!"** He responded to her, while bending his upper body to pick up the stain body towel on the kitchen floor, before showing it to her, and adding. "**I was wearing a body towel, while coming into the kitchen, very early in the morning, to pick up a cup of coffee…When suddenly; I was almost burned by you in the process! It's so early that I thought that you would still be in bed, and I know for a fact that Rose is still sleeping!" **He explained to her, while putting the soiled towel in top of one of the kitchen chair.

"**I couldn't sleep…"** Caroline replied to him, while shrugging her shoulders, filling a cup with fresh coffee, and handing it to him.

"**Thank you…"** He said to her, while taking the cup in his hands, and taking a sip of the hot beverage. **"…I couldn't sleep, either!"** He confessed to her, before putting the cup on the counter, and stroking his eyes.

"**You find something?"** Caroline asked him.

"**I think that Klaus left Mystic Falls, for the time being…I've been tracking Tyler almost none stop…And, except from that time where we heard him talk to Klaus on his cell in your bedroom, nothing out of the ordinary happened…"** Stefan told Caroline.

"**You think he left for good…"** She questioned him.

"**Nope…I think he left for whatever reason that would help him pursue his Machiavellian plan… But…" **Stefan added to her.

"**But…"** Caroline repeated after him.

"**Our previous thinking that Carole could have been compelled by Klaus could be a possibility…."** Stefan started explaining to her, while crossing his arms on his chest. **"…Tyler has been watching her like a security dog almost 24/7!"**

"**He's protecting his own mother, Stefan!"** Caroline said to him, while shaking her head, and adding. **"I told you that he wouldn't play with us that way for any reason." **

Stefan lowered his sight on the kitchen floor, while avoiding looking at Caroline in the eyes.

"**Stefan…"** She called him, before seeing him raise his sight and look at her. **"…Tyler is a lot of things, but a traitor is not one of those things! I'm sure he is trying to find a way to get free of Klaus, like we are! We have to talk to him; we have to let him know that we know about this forced alliance!"**

"**Absolutely not…" **Stefan responded to her, while taking a few walking steps to reach Caroline standing position, before bending his head near hers. **"Caroline, it is our only way of having an upper hand on Klaus. I'm not about to throw it by the window, only because you're having a soft spot for Tyler!" **

"**It's more than a soft spot, Stefan…" **Caroline angrily responded to Stefan, before adding.** "..I…I love him!" **She added to him, while raising her chin to look at him in the eyes. Well, technically she was not lying to him, she thought…she loves Tyler, but she is just not in love with him.

"**Mm…Love, really?" **Stefan mumbled to her, whilebending his head near hers, and locking his eyes with hers. **"…That is probably why you've been hiding in your work the last few days, to avoid seeing him?"** He added to her, while winking.

Caroline closed her fists in anger, before turning on herself and directing her walking steps toward the fridge.

"**Isn't it time for you to go dress yourself, and start you day?"** Caroline said to him, without answering him.

Stefan smiled, grabbed the body towel on the chair, before throwing it on his right shoulder, taking a few steps to reach her standing position in front of the kitchen counter, before slowly sliding the back of his hands along the length of her arms, making her close her eyes, and feel a range of goosebumps hitting her body in delectable waves of pleasure.

"**I'll put the stain towel in the wash basket, and keep the kitchen towels skirt as a souvenir…To remind me how much you were disturbed by my naked presence near you!" **He murmured near her left ear, making her lower her body on his naked chest, before opening her eyes, while feeling cold suddenly, and turning on herself to find herself alone….Stefan had obviously left the kitchen.

* * *

><p>Stefan dried with a towel, the drops of sweat on his forehead, before throwing it on the floor, while taking in his arms two weights and alternately elevating them with his forearms, while keeping an eye on Tyler, who was practicing his boxing.<p>

Stefan dropped the weights, before taking his sport bag, and directing his walking steps toward the shower/restroom of the training center. He pushed the door, before dropping his sport bag near a locker, and passing his t-shirt over his head, before being pushed on the lockers doors, and attacked by Tyler.

"**What is your fucking problem, Salvatore, you've been following every of my moves since a couple of days?"** Tyler screamed in his ears.

It took a split second for Stefan to take a grasp on the situation, before pushing Tyler with his vampire strength and speed on the bench in front of them, while putting his right forearm on Tyler's throat, while holding him in a lying position.

"**You really want to play this game with me, Lockwood? Because, if you do…I think you have a poor chance of winning against me today!" **Stefan angrily screamed in Tyler's face.

"**Let go of me, Salvatore!"** Tyler ordered him, while trying to push him away, without succeeding, before adding. **"Maybe not today…But, I bet at the next fool moon, it could be a new game!" **

Stefan locked his eyes with Tyler's, before pushing him on the floor, and straightening his body in a standing position.

"**You're threatening me, Lockwood?"** Stefan asked him, before leaning his back on a locker, and crossing his arms in front of his chest, while watching Tyler getting up, and opening a locker to take a bag from inside.

"**It depends, Salvatore…If you stop watching my every move, maybe we could even try to be civil to each other!"** Tyler responded to him, while taking a bottle of water, and drinking.

"**Now, you're dreaming big!"** Stefan responded to him, in a mocking tone of voice.

"**That's what I'm thinking also!"** Tyler sarcastically answered him, while closing the locker door, before adding. **"Now…Stop following my every step, stop believing that you could for a second win Caroline again…And maybe, I'll be willing to spare you at the next fool moon!"**

"**Still sound like a threat to me?"** Stefan said to him.

**"What is your game, Salvatore?"** Tyler asked him, while putting his face at a near inch of Stefan's. **"Watching my every move, to report to Caroline? Hoping that I could be unfaithful to her? It's not going to work…You were the jerk five years ago who left her alone and depressed, not me! She'll never go back to you, she learned from her previous mistake!"**

Stefan lowered his sight to look at the floor, before tilting his head, and smirking.

"**Who knows what could happen, Tyler…And what already did?"** Stefan answered, while shrugging his shoulders to Tyler. **"I noticed that you were passing a lot of time with you mother these days, and not Caroline…Problems, Tyler?" **

"**Seriously, Salvatore…You're watching me and my mother? What is your damn problem? Wow…You are really fucked up in the head! Now, I'm warning you! Stay the hell away from me and my family!" **Tyler screamed at him, while grabbing his sport bag, and heading toward the showers.

_Yap!_ Tough Stefan, while watching Tyler entering the shower facilities, Carole Lockwood was definitely a bargaining chip in Klaus's hands.

* * *

><p>Caroline took the cupcakes out of the industrial oven, while sliding the plate on the island table, and wiping her hands on her apron. She heard the bell of the front door rang and screamed:<p>

"**I'll be with you in a second!" **

"**No need!" **Stefan answered her, while entering the back kitchen of the bakery.

"**Hi!"** She said to Stefan, while washing her hands in the sink.

"**Hi!"** Stefan answered her, while taking a few more walking steps to reach her standing position, before dropping his sport bag near the kitchen island.

"**Where's Rose?"** He asked her, before leaning his back on the counter, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

"**At my mum's, making apple pies…"** Caroline told him. **"…You've been training?"** She asked him, while taking a look at the bag placed at his feet, while taking a bowl of frosting from the fridge.

"**Let just say I've been training in the company of Tyler!"** He responded to him, while winking at her.

"**Did you find something new?"** She asked him, while taking a spatula in her hands.

"**Nothing much…Except that you must be right with your theory about Carole being compelled by Klaus for one of his purpose…Though, I can't get what he would gain by using her?"** Stefan explained to her, while shaking his head in disbelief.

"**Bargaining chip and also being able to lure Tyler under his authority, perhaps?"** Caroline said to him, while shrugging her shoulders.

"**There's something else…And I can't put my finger on it!"** Stefan responded to her, while staring in the emptiness of the room, before turning his sight on Caroline, smiling while looking at her in the process of frosting a previous batch of cupcakes. **"You're good at what you're doing, and what you accomplished the last past five years…You should be proud!"** He honestly said, while smiling at her, making her raised her head to look at him in surprise.

"**Thanks…"** She answered him, while smiling back at him, and blushing. **"I did my best!"** She added to Stefan, while shrugging her shoulders.

"**What you're making there…"** Stefan asked her, while nodding in direction of the bowl that she was holding in her hands.

"**Actually…"** She responded to him, while tilting her head, and raising her chin proudly. **"…It's a new recipe of frosting that I made: Double fudge chocolate delight!" **She added to him, while taking a bit of frosting to her mouth, before realizing that she had put frosting every where on her hands and on her chin. **"Oh my God, look at me…I have frosting everywhere!"** She said to him, with laughter in her voice.

"**Can I taste it?"** Stefan asked her.

"**Sure!"** She answered him, before seeing him take her right hand in his, bringing it near his mouth, and slowly licking the chocolate from her hand, before entering one of her finger in his mouth, and tasting her, making Caroline startled on surprise, and feeling a wave of delectable chills hitting her.

"**Stefan…"** She murmured to him, as a warning, without being able to move a muscle.

"**Mm…"** He murmured back to her, while bending his head near hers, and passing his thumb on the trace of chocolate at the corner of her lips. **"….You managed to put chocolate everywhere!"** He added to her, while locking his eyes with hers.

"**I…I always do that…"** She mumbled to him, at the same time she was closing her eyes, feeling the tip of his tongue licking the chocolate at the corner of her lips, before feeling his lips crashing on hers, while being pulled in his arms, with his arms encircling her waist.

"**I'm so sorry; no one was in front of the bakery…I thought you would be in the back kitchen…But, if I am disturbing you in a bad moment…I present you my apologies, maybe I could come back later?"** They heard a feminine voice calling them, before detaching their lips, and turning their heads to see Carole Lockwood standing at the entrance of the kitchen.

"**Carole…"** Caroline exclaimed, while gently pushing Stefan away from her, before asking. **"…What…What is bringing you here?" **

Caroline glared a quick moment at Stefan, before saying:

"**An invitation actually...To a 70-80' disco event/dance that will be held one week from today, at the Lockwood's mansion, naturally…"** She explained to them, while nodding her head, and staring in front of her.

"**I…I never heard of this event before today?"** Caroline replied to her, while looking at Stefan.

"**It's an extravaganza of the moment, actually…"** Carole replied to her, before adding. **"…I would really like for the both of you to be present." **

"**Carole…" **Stefan said to her, while reaching her standing position and locking his sight in hers.** "…Who decided of this event?" **

"**I…" **She mumbled to him, while shaking her head, and not knowing what to answer.

"**It's ok…" **Stefan added to her, while putting a friendly hand on her left shoulder, before adding.** "…We'll be there!" **

"**Perfect! Around eight O'clock then…I will see you there!" **Caroline said to them, while nodding her head, turning on herself and asking. **"And by the way…What about the little girl, Rose is it?" **

"**My mum will take care of her in my absence." **Caroline responded to her, while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"**Perfect!"** She added to them, before smiling and leaving the kitchen.

"**Stefan…"** Caroline called him nervously.

"**Mm…She is totally, completely, compelled…She saw me kissing you, and not Tyler, and she said nothing!"** He responded to Caroline, before adding. **"And, for a strange reason Klaus wants for us to be at that dance!" **

"**What are we going to do?" **Caroline asked him, suddenly very nervous.

"**Put our disco shoes and go to the event!" **Stefan responded to her.

* * *

><p><em>Boarding house <em>

Caroline put the last washed plate on a kitchen shelf, before closing the cabinet. She turned on herself and noticed Stefan who was watching her with a smile on his face, while leaning his right upper body side on the arch door, with his arms crossed in front of his chest.

"**Need help with the dishes?"** He asked her.

"**No, thanks…I'm almost done!"** She answered him, while drying her hands on the kitchen towel. **"Where's Rose?"**

"**Playing hide and seek, at the moment, to delay her time to go to bed."** He explained to Caroline, before hearing her laugh. How much he loves to hear her laugh, it was always the highlight of his day.

"**She has a way of always delaying that moment, and it's getting harder to put her to bed, with each passing day…"** Caroline told him, while cleaning the kitchen counter, before seeing a small tornado passing by Stefan standing position, stopping in front of him, passing her tongue to him, and running toward the back kitchen stairs, while screaming to him:

"**You can't catch me, Uncle Stefan!" **

"**I just want to tell you, little mouse…That I will, not only catch you, but eat you alive also!" **He screamed back at her, while hearing her giggle, and rushing on the stairs.** "I'm going to put her to bed…" **He said to Caroline, while turning and winking at her, before adding.** "…You want to come?" **

"**No thank you…But go and kiss her good night for me, and don't forget to make her brush her teeth…I still have the oven to clean." **She explained, while showing him a wet cloth in her hands.

"**Ok, see you in a bit…" **He answered, while smiling to her and rushing upstairs.

Caroline felt a lump in her throat, she raised her right hand, while sweeping away a tear from her eye …This was for sure one of her secret hidden fantasy…And even if she knew that it would never be possible, being able to share it for a short moment with him and Rose, was like experimenting for a short brief moment the realization of one of her past human dream: a family!

* * *

><p>"<strong>Got you…"<strong> Stefan screamed to Rose, while grabbing the little girl by the arms, and throwing her on his right shoulders, like a small bag, while tickling her. **"…Now, you're going to bed!"**

"**No, Uncle Stefan, let me go!"** Rose screamed from the top of her lungs, while giggling.

Stefan pushed her bedroom door, before dropping Rose on the floor.

"**Now, go put your PJ and brush your teeth….I'll open your bed and wait for you!"** Stefan ordered her to do, while slapping her bottom.

"**Can you read me a story before I fall asleep?"** Rose asked him, while turning on herself, and giving him the puppy eyes.

"**The puppy eyes, really?"** Stefan said her, before putting a PJ in her hands, and turning her body around, while pushing her toward her adjacent bathroom. **"Go!"**

"**I'll go fast-fast for you to read me Snow white!"** She replied to him, while rushing into the bathroom, and closing the door behind her.

Stefan shook his head, while smirking, and taking a few walking steps to reach Roses' bed. He pushed the comforter at the far end, while opening the bed sheets, placing the pillow, and taking a sitting place on the mattress, with his hands on the Snow White illustrated children book, before opening the first pages, and suddenly thinking that this moment seemed so perfect to him….This being: him, Caroline & Rose…The kind of life he wanted for himself back in his human days, in love with a woman, and with child.

He opened one page of the children book before seeing a folded picture fall on the wooded floor, bending himself to take it in his hands, before startling and recognizing a picture of him and Damon.

The bathroom door opened, and Rose stormed out of the room, before running and jumping on her bed, reaching a sitting place beside Stefan.

"**Can you read me the story of Snow White, Uncle Stefan…Please?"** She asked him, while tilting her head, and putting her little hands together as a prayer.

"**Sure, sweetie! But what is this?"** Stefan asked Rose, while titling his head himself, showing the picture, before caressing her hair and smiling to her.

"**Aunty Caroline told me that it was ok for me to take it…Are you mad?"** Rose asked Stefan, with a very serious expression on her face.

"**Of course it is ok, sweetie….And no, I'm not mad…But, I could give you a picture of me if you wanted? I know you don't know my brother Damon."** He responded to her, before seeing her shake her head in negation, and taking back the picture from his hands, while holding it near her little chest and heart.

"**I want this one…"** She responded to him.

"**Why is that picture so special to you, sweetie?"** Stefan questioned her more, while caressing her cheeks.

Rose put a finger in top of her little mouth, while signing to him that it was meant to be kept a secret.

"**Oh… it is a secret?"** Stefan said to Rose, while nodding his head and putting a finger in top of his own lips, while imitating her own gesture, before adding. **"…Ok, I should not ask, then?" **

Rose shook her head one more time, while keeping her little finger on her lips.

"**It's a secret between Aunty Caroline and me!"** Rose told him.

"**Ok, it's between you two…I won't ask again then!" **Stefan responded, while winking at her, and adding.** "So…Snow White, it's your favourite story?" **Stefan asked Rose, while kissing her forehead, and turning the pages.

"**Yes…"** Rose responded to him, while nodding her head.

"**Why is that, sweetie?"** Stefan asked her.

"**Because, of the seven dwarfs…And Snow White…And the apple….And the prince…and…."** Rose started enumerating all the "whys" to Stefan, making him smile in amusement, while turning the pages of the book. **"…And also because my mummy **_Elena _**was reading this story to me all the time…"** She added, while nodding his head.

Stefan startled in complete shock, while freezing all his gesture, loosing his smile in a second, and slowly raising his stare at Rose.

"**What did you just say?"** Stefan asked Rose.

* * *

><p>Caroline filled two cups of hot coffee, and directed her steps toward the fridge to take some milk from a shelf…She felt happy tonight…Even if everything was so wrong and that they were basically in danger with Klaus, tonight it was only her little fantasy world, with Stefan &amp; Rose, in a little heaven…She turned the sound button of the old retro radio on the counter, before listening to an old disco song of Donna Summer and Barbara Streisand, while singing the lyrics, and dancing around the table.<p>

"_**It's raining, it's pouring, my love life is boring me to tears…After all these years…No sunshine, no moonlight, No stardust, no sign of romance, we don't stand a chance…I always dreamed I find the perfect lover…But, he turned out to be like every other man…Our love, Our love…Enough is enough, I can' go on, I can't go on, no more no…Enough is enough…**_**"** She sang from the top of her lungs, before startling hard while feeling Stefan presence behind her, turning on herself, with a hand in front of her chest. **"Oh! You scared me to death…I was singing, like a stupid fool while listening to this old 80's song…I made coffee for us…"** Caroline said, while smiling at him, before loosing her smile. **"Stefan?"** She asked him.

Stefan took a few walking steps to reach her standing position, before locking his teary eyes into Caroline's, while standing lividly and silently in front of her.

"**Are you ok? You're scaring me?" **Caroline asked him, while putting a friendly hand on his left upper arm, before being pushed away. **"What…What's going on?"** She asked him, while shaking her head and taking a few steps backward, feeling an uneasy feeling hitting her suddenly.

Stefan shook his head in disbelief, while passing a nervous hand through his hair, before placing both of his hands on each side of his waist.

"**How could you?"** He asked her, while looking at her with a glimpse of hate in his stare.

"**What are you talking about?"** She asked him, with a trembling voice, while expecting the worst.

"**How could you?"** He repeated from the top of his lungs, while pointing a finger at her. **"How could you play me for a fool like this?" **

"**I don't understand?" **Caroline told him, while sweeping the tears that were filling her eyes, and running on her cheeks. She knew…She knew what was coming!

"**Who's Rose? Who's her mother? I want to hear the truth from you own mouth… And don't you lye to me this time…Because you've been lying to my face quite enough since I came back! Damn you, Caroline!"** She heard him screamed at her, before closing her eyes, feeling the tears running fluently on her cheeks, and hearing the last lyrics of the song that was still playing on the radio: _**Enough is enough! **_ And indeed, apparently it was!

* * *

><p>Do not hate the writer of this fan fiction story (LOL), for her numerous cliff-hangers, remember that she is writing this wonderful story for you all! (Winking)<p>

Always a pleasure to read you all, and to respond to you!

Till the next chapter, keep safe!


	8. We are family

**AN UNEXPECTED LOVE AFFAIR - PART 2**

Fan Fic Season 2 TV-Vampire Diaries

**Writer's note**: Put your disco shoes, your glittering clothes, insert an old disco CD, and you are good to go! I love to pieces this chapter! This first part will continue into the FINALE ONE, a cross-over chapter story with my Delena one…Enjoy my dear readers…You'll have your head spinning in the 70' feelings and actions of this chapter in no time.

**Song choices - 70' disco songs****: **_I will survive – Gloria Gaynor, Dance (Disco heat) – Sylvester, Knock on Wood – Amii Stewart, BaD girls - Donna Summer_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Extract from my Delena story: "Whisper of the past"<strong>_

_**Chapter 9: Too much love will kill you**_

* * *

><p>The sliding door or the industrial elevator finally opened, and she rushed outside while running into the small cave toward the exit, rushing outside into the night sky…<p>

"**Alex! Alex…." **She screamed from the top of her lungs,while scattering her surroundings, before being grabbed with a hand on her arm, by one of his man. **"Let me go…Where is he?"** She screamed at the dumbfounded man.

Alex was sliding a small army bag on the back seat of his Transam car, with the blasted sound of a song coming from the car radio though the open door.

_Too much love will kill you, If you can't make up your mind,  
>Torn between the lover, and the love you leave behind, You're headed for disaster<br>'cos you never read the signs, Too much love will kill you  
>Every time…<em>

"**Alex!"** She screamed on more time, while seeing him bend his head to enter the passenger seat of the car, before seeing him turn and take a look at her.

"**Elena…"** Alex screamed back at her, while raising his head, and looking at her with an open mouth expression on his face. "**What…"**

Elena took a few walking steps toward him, while feeling the tears filling her eyes. They were now standing face to face at a near meter of distance.

Alex searched some kind of explanation of her presence on Elena's face, while trying to understand what was happening in front of his eyes, before seeing Elena jumped into his arms, encircling his neck, with her arms, gluing her body on his, and burying her face in his right shoulders.

"**Elena?"** He asked her, completely dumfounded, while caressing her hair. **"What is it? I told you that I would protect Rose, what are you doing in here, out of the underground? It's not safe for you to be here…We could be watched!" **

"**It's not that…"** She whispered to him, while raising her head, and staring into his eyes.

Alex raised his right hand near her face, before caressing the contour of her face, while locking into her eyes.

"**What are you trying to tell me?"** He asked her, while keeping his stare in hers.

Tears were running fluently on her cheeks now, and she was shaking her head.

"**I'm so sorry…I hurt you so much!"** She mumbled, almost incoherently, to him. **"…I was a stupid fool…And I let you down!"**

"**For God sake, Elena what is going on with you?" **He replied to her; while forcefully raise her head to make her look at him, with his hands encircling her face.

Elena swallowed a small lump in her throat before admitting.

"**I'll wait for you…"** She told him, in low whisper, while nodding her head. "…**I'll wait for you for ever!"**

Alex froze on spot, while searching in her eyes a trace of untruthfulness.

"**Stop this Elena! You don't need to play me for a fool…Either way, I promised you that I would protect Rose…I have unfinished business with Klaus that I need to take care!" **Alex responded to her, in a colder voice.

"**I'm not playing with you…Not anymore!"** She whispered to him, while shaking her head.

"**I'm not Damon Salvatore! And I'll never be!"** He screamed at her, while gesturing with his hands in anger. **"Stop thinking like that!"** He added to her.

"**But you're a part of him…And…"** She started explaining to him, before adding. "…**And I can't imagine my life without you in it, Alex!"** She confessed to him, while staring into his eyes for a long moment, before rising on her toes, and crashing her mouth on his, while intensifying her kiss, and sliding her tongue between his closed lips, making him groaned in pleasure, while feeling him rub his hands all over her body, sliding one under her t-shirt, while caressing her tattooed skin.

"**Mmm…"** He mumbled in pleasure, before gently pushing her at arms length. **"What is this?"** He asked of her, while encircling her wrists with one of his hand. **"I won't play your game, Elena!" **

"**I'm not playing…"** She confessed to him, while shaking her head, raising her right hand to caress his left cheek, before approaching his standing position. **"…I want to be with you!"**

"**Well…Your theatrical scene is not one of the best, I don't believe you!" **Alex angrily mumbled to her, while passing a nervous hand through his hand…_What was happening exactly_? He thought to himself. **"You need to do a freaking better job than this!" **

"**That is ok…I'll wait here for you, Always…And I will convince you eventually…Because you deserve that someone wait for you, Alex!"** She responded to him, in a teary voice, making him gasp in surprise and shock of not recognizing the woman who was standing in front of him. **"Now, go save our daughter!"** She added to him, rising on her toes, and sweet kissing his lips, before staring into his eyes, while caressing his cheeks. **"Be gentle with your brother…At least, he searched for you all these years, while I didn't!"** She added to him, before detaching herself from him, and taking a few steps away from the car.

Bill who had witnessed the scene, took a few walking steps, before standing beside Elena.

"**Be careful, Alex…Come back in one piece!"** He said to him, while nodding his head, and before seeing Alex nodding his head in return, taking place on his driver seat, before making the engine roar, while leaving with a grinding wheel noise.

* * *

><p><strong>Chapter 8<strong>

"**WE ARE FAMILY"**

* * *

><p>Stefan Salvatore pushed the door of the antic costumes store of Mystic Falls, while ringing the little bell attached to its door frame.<p>

He approached the cashier counter, while sliding his hands in his jeans pockets, and scattering the store while looking out for the owner.

"**Hello…"** He exclaimed, while waiting patiently for someone to appear.

A sexagenarian, with salt & pepper hair, and small glasses on the tip of his nose appeared in front of him, while asking to Stefan Salvatore:

"**Yes, may I help you?"**

"**Yes, hello…You surely can, my name is Stefan Salvatore…I called couple of hours ago, to reserve a 1970' disco costume?" **Stefan said to the man.

"**Oh yes, Mister Salvatore! Of course…For the Disco party at the Lockwood…I presume?"** The man asked him, with a smile.

"**Well…You presumed right!"** Stefan answered the man, while raising his eyebrows and shrugging his shoulders.

"**Oh! I don't see much enthusiasm for a young man?"** The older man replied to him, while hiding his hilarity behind one of his hands.

"**Let just say that I saw my share of Lockwood events!"** Stefan replied to the man, while smirking.

"**I do understand…Can you come in the back store, for you fitting of the suit… I think I find the perfect one for you!"** The man said to him.

"**Sure…."** Stefan replied to the man, while following him behind a curtain.

Five minutes later he was sliding the curtain of the dressing room, while taking a couple of steps to reach the mirror in front of him.

"**Oh God…"** He exclaimed loudly to himself, while rolling his eyes to the ceiling, catching his own reflection on the mirror on feet. John Travolta in all his disco glory was certainly standing in front of the mirror, in this glittering two pieces suit. Unfortunately, he had no other choices but to attend this Lockwood event with Caroline, Rose's safety was in stake…Especially with Klaus back in town.

"**I would prefer to be caught dead, torture, or having my head ripped off from my body than having a brother, who's dressing like you?"** Stefan heard a voice say to him, making him startled in surprise, while feeling a range of shivering hitting his entire body, before very so slowly raising his head, and seeing Damon reflection.

"**Damon…"** He exclaimed in shock, while staring into Damon's eyes in the mirror.

Alex swallowed a lump in his throat, while keeping his stare into Stefan's.

"**The name is Alex…"** He simply replied to Stefan, while sliding a hand in one of his jeans pocket, before taking his pack of cigarettes and lighter.

"**Right…Alex!"** Stefan mumbled nervously in his teeth, before passing a nervous hand in his hair.

"**Cigarette…"** Alex asked him, while handing the pack to Stefan, seeing him shake his head in negation, and lighting one for himself before taking his first puff. **"I compelled the store man…It should give us a little time to discuss."** He added to Stefan, before sitting on a chair, while putting his dirty left biker boot on another one, before sliding his sight on Stefan's costume, while smiling.

"**Ok, sure…"** Stefan replied to him, while nodding his head and fixating his brother. His brother, DAMON, which he lost all contact for the past five years, was sitting comfortably in front of him - HIM who was dressed in the worst replicate version of 70' clothes, he thought before bursting into nervous laughter, while stroking his teary eyes with his right hand. If someone would have told him that this was the way that he would one day be face to face with his brother again, he would have burst into laughter, exactly like now…But then again, it was Damon! Who better than him to ridicule him!

"**Hey man…If the clothes fit you, who am I to judge!"** Alex said to him, while smoking very slowly his cigarette, and smirking at Stefan.

"**Why are you here?"** Stefan finally asked him, while leaning his back on the wall behind him. "**And where is Elena, what have you done with her?"**

Alex raised one of his eyebrows, while staring at his cigarette in his hands.

"**She's alive and safe…That is about all that you will know!"** He simply answered Stefan, while raising a quick glare at him. **"I needed her, therefore: I keep her – As simple as that!"** Alex added to him, while raising his chin to his unknown brother.

"**Ah this is priceless!"** Stefan said to him, while shaking his head, with a sarcastic laugh, before biting his lips in anger. **"Isn't it what you always did? You needed Elena, and you did whatever necessary to have her?"** Stefan asked Alex.

"**I don't know? Ask your long lost brother Damon Salvatore!"** Alex responded, while challenging Stefan. **"You got me mix with somebody else!"** He added, before asking. **"Where's the child?"**

"**The child…"** Stefan asked him dumfounded.

"**Elena's…."** Damon explained.

"**She's safe…That is about all that you will know!"** Stefan said to him, in a tit for tat response, while staring back into Alex's eyes. **"What do you want Alex?"**

Alex slowly rose on his feet, before throwing the cigarette on the floor and stepping on it, while reaching Stefan standing position.

"**She's not!"** He simply replied to Stefan.

"**What you mean?"** Stefan asked him, while putting his hands on each side of his waist.

"**The child is not safe!"** He added to Stefan.

"**How can I trust you, **_Alex_**? How do you know that?"** Stefan asked him, while trying to find a sign of truth in his eyes.

"**A certain Original named** _Klaus_ **paid me a courtesy visit…"** Damon started to explain.

"**Elena? Did he?"** Stefan mumbled nervoulsy to his brother.

"**I told you, she's safe…The child, not so sure…"** Damon continued explaining, before adding. **"…For what I could understand of this fucked up situation: A certain **_Sacrifice_** is supposed to take place, and Elena was one of his pawn to assure its success!" **

"**Yes…" **Stefan simply replied, while nodding his head in approbation of Alex's saying.

"**Well…apparently, she is not anymore!" **Alex explained more to Stefan, while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**Rose?"** Stefan said to Alex, more as an affirmation than a real question.

Alex nodded his head in approbation to him, before seeing Stefan pace back and forth in front of him.

"**Klaus…Bastard!"** He mumbled angrily in his teeth, while passing a nervous hand through his hair. **"What does he want to do with her?" **

"**Your guess is as good as mine…I guess she is now the magic pawn in his **_Sacrifice_** stuff…" **Alex responded to him, while shrugging his shoulders, before adding.** "I have no idea…I'm kind of new in this **_Jimbalaya_** fucked up spell stuff!" **

Stefan raised his head to look at Alex, while smirking, making Alex crossed his arms in front of his chest, while staring at Stefan.

"**What is so funny, man?"** He asked him.

"**Nothing…"** Stefan replied to him, while lowering his head to hide his hilarity**. "It's just…It's just that …This is something that my brother would say!"** He added to him, before rising his head and stare in his.

Alex kept quiet, while avoiding looking at Stefan in the eyes, before turning on himself and taking a few walking steps toward the exit of the room.

"**I'll stay here…And watch her for the time being!"** Alex simply informed Stefan.

"**Wait…"** Stefan begged, while seeing Alex turn on himself and staring at him. "…**Will I see you again?"** He asked him.

"**I'll be around…And I'll make contact with you when necessary."** Alex replied to him, before leaving Stefan completely lost, dumfounded…but hopeful. His brother Damon was coming back to him…He could feel it in his guts!

* * *

><p>Caroline had cried her share of tears since last night, and she was not particularly feeling well this morning either. Stefan knew! He knew the all truth now, and saying that he took it the wrong way was not even accurate…He was angry as hell at her! And, as much as she understood why - As much she knew inside of her that she had being doing the right thing also. Now, she had the most of right to be angry at him for leaving her for these past five years, and treated her like he had done last night!<p>

She was standing in the kitchen; with a load of fresh clean clothes, while folding them on the kitchen table, when she heard screaming coming at her from the entrance of the house: **"Caroline…Caroline!"**

She raised her head in surprise, before seeing Stefan burst into the kitchen, noticing her standing position near the table, smiling heavenly to her, before taking a few more walking steps, passing his hands/arms around her waist, raising her in the air, and making her twirl.

"**Oh my God, Caroline…"** He exclaimed, while gluing her body to his, and sliding a hand in her hair, before closing his eyes.

Caroline froze on spot. Not even a couple of hours ago, he was giving her the cold shoulders and now, he was taking her in his arms. What was going on?

"**Stefan…"** She mumbled to him, while trying to detach herself from his embrace. **"…Let me go, I can't do this…I can't go from cold to hot in a second!"** She added to him.

"**No, no…You don't understand Caroline…You don't!"** He said to her, while detaching himself, and taking her face in his hands. **"It's Damon…I mean Alex…He is back! My brother is back!" **

"**What?" **She exclaimed to him, completely dumfounded**. "What you mean he is back, where's Elena?' **

"**I don't know. He said to me that she is safe somewhere." **He replied to her, while nodding his head.

"**And you believed him?"** She replied to her, while pushing herself away from him.

"**Yes, I did! He's my brother, Caroline…And I felt for the first time since five years that he is coming back to us!"** He said, while grabbing her shoulders, staring into her eyes, and smiling.

Caroline smiled for the first time, while feeling a sigh of relieves hitting her entire self. If what Stefan was saying, true, that meant that Elena was safe and alive, and Alex was maybe on his way to regain his memory.

"**Why did he contact you, why did he come back?"** She asked him, while grabbing his forearms with both of her hands. **"Stefan…Answer me?" **

Stefan lowered his sight away from hers, while loosing his smile.

"**Klaus find him...I mean, he find his private lair!" **Stefan informed her.

"**Oh my God, Elena…"** Caroline exclaimed.

"**She's fine…"** Stefan replied to her, while nodding his head.

"**Then what…"** Caroline asked him, while starting to shake like a leaf. **"..Stefan?"**

"**He told Alex…I mean, Damon…That he don't need her anymore for the Sacrifice!"** Stefan told Caroline.

"**Oh that is so great! But, why….How…Stefan…"** Caroline asked, while seeing him lowering his sight away from hers.

"**He wants Rose!"** Stefan finally admitted to her.

"**No…No…How does he know about her…" **She asked to him, while shaking her head from right to left, before adding. **"…How did he find out? How is this even possible? Stefan?"** She screamed at him.

"**I don't know…"** He simply answered her, while shaking his head. **"…But we'll keep her safe with my brother!"**

"**How do you know that Alex will keep her safe?"** She asked Stefan.

"**Because it is his daughter, Caroline…And, You can call me crazy…But, I am sure that deep down inside of him he knows it!"** He told her, while locking his eyes with hers, to which she nodded her head to him, before taking a few walking steps toward the exit of the kitchen.

"**I'll go pick Rose at my mum's…We need to watch her more carefully now."** She said to Stefan, while avoiding talking to him about last night events.

"**Caroline?"** He called, before seeing her turn and look at him. "**About yesterday night…"** He added to her.

"**Don't …" **She simply replied to him, while shaking her head in negation, before leaving him alone in the kitchen.

Stefan turned his stare to the window, while taking a few walking steps to stand in front, while putting both of his hands on each side of his waist.

He's been a jerk to her lately…He only realized now that she was put in front of an impossible decision of respecting her friend wishes and keeping Rose safe or telling him the truth. And he did not know how she could ever forgive him, or how he could ever forgive himself for hurting the woman that he fell in love with…

* * *

><p><em>Previous night…<em>

"_It's raining, it's pouring, my love life is boring me to tears…After all these years…No sunshine, no moonlight, No stardust, no sign of romance, we don't stand a chance…I always dreamed I find the perfect lover…But, he turned out to be like every other man…Our love, Our love…Enough is enough, I can' go on, I can't go on, no more no…Enough is enough…" She sang from the top of her lungs, before startling hard while feeling Stefan presence behind her, turning on herself, with a hand in front of her chest. "Oh! You scared me to death…I was singing, like a stupid fool while listening to this old 80's song…I made coffee for us…" Caroline said, while smiling at him, before loosing her smile. "Stefan?" She asked him. _

_Stefan took a few walking steps to reach her standing position, before locking his teary eyes into Caroline's, while standing lividly and silently in front of her. _

"_Are you ok? You're scaring me?" Caroline asked him, while putting a friendly hand on his left upper arm, before being pushed away. "What…What's going on?" She asked him, while shaking her head and taking a few steps backward, feeling an uneasy feeling hitting her suddenly. _

_Stefan shook his head in disbelief, while passing a nervous hand through his hair, before placing both of his hands on each side of his waist. _

"_How could you?" He asked her, while looking at her with a glimpse of hate in his stare. _

"_What are you talking about?" She asked him, with a trembling voice, while expecting the worst. _

"_How could you?" He repeated from the top of his lungs, while pointing a finger at her. "How could you play me for a fool like this?" _

"_I don't understand?" Caroline told him, while sweeping the tears that were filling her eyes, and running on her cheeks. She knew…She knew what was coming!_

"_Who's Rose? Who's her mother? I want to hear the truth from you own mouth… And don't you lye to me this time…Because you've been lying to my face quite enough since I came back! Damn you, Caroline!" She heard him screamed at her, before closing her eyes, feeling the tears running fluently on her cheeks, and hearing the last lyrics of the song that was still playing on the radio: Enough is enough! And indeed, apparently it was! (…)_

* * *

><p>(….)<p>

Caroline kept her stare in his for a few moments, while feeling tears rolling on her cheeks…She needed to think, she needed to put a space between Stefan and herself. She passed beside him, while pushing the kitchen door open, and storming out of the room, taking rapid walking steps toward the parlour room.

"**Don't think of even pushing this issue under the rug, Caroline!"** He screamed at her, while pushing the kitchen door open, and following her steps.

"**No, I wouldn't dare think of that, Stefan!"** She screamed back at him, before adding. "**It is more your thing to do!"** She added to him, while entering the parlour room, and pointing an accusation finger at him.

"**Oh, this is priceless Forbes! You are the one who kept this fucking truth from me, and for weeks now…And somehow, I am the bad guy in all of this!" **He screamed at her, while pacing back and forth, and gesturing nervously with his hands.

"**I did what I had to do for my friend, Stefan!"** She screamed back at him, while sweeping her tears away from her face. **"I owe her this much! She wanted to go after Damon…She wanted to try to make him remember!"** She added to him, before crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"**You owed her that much? And, what did you owe me? Mm…What Caroline…"** He asked her, while pointing a finger at her.

"**I understand that you are angry Stefan, but I thought of Rose safety first!"** Caroline lashed out at him.

"**Her own safety against her own uncle…Are you kidding me? Who are you trying to fool, Caroline, really?"** He asked her, while passing a quick hand though his hair. **"How is this even possible, we're vampires, we can't procreate?"** He mumbled angrily in his teeth.

"**I'm not fooling anybody, Stefan…I kept her wish to keep quiet for two months…She begged me to do it!**" She screamed at him, before adding. **"I don't know…It has to do with the spell put on Damon while being a human for a short moment…" **

"**Elena was never the brightest in taking decisions…"** He whispered in his teeth, while continuing to pace back and forth in the room.

"**And yet, you were hung up on her for years…"** She mumbled in her teeth, while biting the inside of her cheeks.

"**Oh right! Now I get it…"** Stefan burst at her, while taking a few walking steps to reach her standing position**. "Your jealous self orchestrated this all messed up follow up of events to get back at me!**" He added to her, in despite.

It only took a split of a second for Caroline's right hand to reach his cheek, leaving him speechless over the slap she just gave to him.

"**Well…At least, I haven't slept with another man before leaving town for five years!"** She said to him, while raising her chin in the air in a confrontational gesture.

Stefan raised his hand to his cheek, while feeling his jaw hurt, before nodding his head.

"**I deserved that!"** He replied to her, before raising his sight at her. **"But, I haven't slept with Elena…"** He added to her.

"**No, maybe not…But if I hadn't walked on you two in Damon's bedroom, you would have!" **She said to him.

"**No, we wouldn't have…"** He replied to her, in a calmer than reality tone of voice.

"**Pff….Of course you wouldn't!"** She replied to him, while turning her back at him.

"**No…Because I…"** He said to her, before loosing the worlds.

"**Because what?"** Caroline asked him, without turning to face him.

"**Nothing…"** He mumbled in his teeth, while shaking his head.

"**That's what I thought!"** She replied in anger, in a low whisper, more to herself than for him.

Stefan raised his sight to look at her, taking rapid steps to reach her standing position, before grabbing her shoulders forcefully, crashing his mouth on hers, while taking her by surprise, and for a few seconds, stopping her to react to his embrace.

Caroline froze for a short moment, while grabbing his upper arms, and trying to push him away from her, but without succeeding. He forced his kiss on her, before sliding his tongue between her lips, while deepening the kiss, rubbing his hands frantically on her body, creating a range of shivers on her spine, while lowering his lips on her neck and devouring her skin, at the same time he was delicately cupping one of her breast through her clothe.

It took all that she had, but she was finally able to push him away from her, making him raise his sight at her in surprise.

"**That is your solution, Stefan?** **Having sex with me…While avoiding the elephant in the room?"** Caroline exclaimed in anger to him, while gesturing with her arms.

"**Caroline…"** He murmured, while handing his right hand to her.

"**Don't "Caroline" me…You took advantage enough…"** She said to his face, while crossing her arms in front of her chest, in a protection mechanism.

"**I'm sorry…"** He whispered, while shaking his head.

"**You always did that, you always put everything under the rug…While expecting everybody to follow you in your little fantasy world, disregarding the feelings of others!"** She busted more into his face.

"**Caroline, please…"** He said to her.

"**Well, no more, Stefan…I'm not a little girl anymore, I've grown up!"** She screamed at him, before storming out of the parlour room, with tears running on her cheeks.

"**Damn it!"** He screamed, while punching his fist in one of the wall.

* * *

><p><em>Welcome to the 70' at the Lockwood Mansion, <em>

_It's your DJ here, with the best disco in town_

_It's time to move, and it's time to groove, let's disco!_

They both, Stefan and Caroline, entered the Lockwood mansion, while hearing the DJ voice welcoming the crowd from his microphone, with the song of _Bad Girl_ from _Donna Summer_ hitting the speakers as the background, before walking toward the terrace, while seeing a gigantic colorful dancing floor placed in the middle of the big backyard.

Sure thing: a lot of polyester around! She thought to herself, while smirking and glaring at Stefan for a few seconds. He had put hair gel in his hair and was wearing a white two 70' pieces suit, on a black silk shirt. If she had encountered this hunk back in the 70', she would have jump his bones in not time, she thought, while turning her head to forbid him to see her smile.

Stefan took the opportunity that Caroline was looking elsewhere for a few seconds, to take a look at her: a golden, glittering dress, her hair put in a loose bun, with big golden loops on her ears, and golden platform high heels shoes. She was breath taking of beauty tonight! But unfortunately, he had probably lost her for ever after his behavior of last night.

"**You want to dance?"** Stefan asked her, while swallowing a lump in his throat.

"**With you, not particularly…I'm only here for Rose and Rose only…"** She answered him, while raising his chin in the air.

"**I thought it could be a way to put a front for everybody else…"** Stefan added to her, while coughing nervously.

"**I could dance with Tyler! That would put a nice front also, what do you think?"** She asked him, while turning her head to look at him, raising one of her eyebrows, and crossing her arms in front of her chest in a confrontational gesture.

She was mad at him! She was mad as hell….But he needed to try to ease her anger, she deserved so much than this!

"**Well, I don't see why we couldn't forget about everything for the time of a dance, just for five minutes have a little bit of fun!"** He told her, before grabbing her left hand in his, and walking toward the dance floor.

"**Stefan, let go of me…"** She mumbled angrily to him, while being dragged behind him, at the song sounds of _Disco heat_.

"**Nope…"** He answered her, while reaching the dance floor, grabbing her waist, and pulling Caroline in his arms. **"Now Disco dance…"** He ordered very seriously to Carline, before seeing her raise her sight at him, and burst into laugher a minute later.

"**Oh my God…"** She exclaimed, while twirling in his arms. "…**Where did we reach that low point?"**

"**I have no idea…" **Stefan replied, while laughing with her, and raising one finger in the air in the imitation of John Travolta.

"**Oh please stop!"** She begged him to do, while bending her upper body up front, in contractions of laughter.

"**What you don't like my perfect dance interpretation?"** He asked her, while smirking, and taking her back in his arms.

"**You're actually good at this…"** She said to him, while Disco hustle some moves with him.

"**You forget that I was alive and kicking as the vampire Disco dancing King back in the days!"** Stefan replied, while winking at her, making her laugh even more.

"**Caroline…"** they heard Carole Lockwood calling her.

"**Yes?"** Caroline asked her, while turning and facing her, taking a few walking steps with Stefan at her side, to leave to dancing floor.

"**I'm so sorry to interrupt your dance…But I have the biggest favor to ask you my dear." **Carole said to her.

"**If you could both excuse me…"** Stefan said to them, while slowly leaving their sides.

"**Of course, Stefan…"** Carole replied, while smiling politely to him.

"**Ask away Carole, if I can help, I will certainly …"** She replied to her, while smiling, and scattering her surroundings, always in search of an upcoming danger, especially with Carole Lockwood not being herself these last past days.

"**Well…A female singer was supposed to present herself for the entertainment part of the evening…And there is no sign of her anywhere!"** Carole explained to her, while rubbing nervously her hands together, and scattering the crowd.

"**Oh, I'm so sorry to hear, Carole…But, don't worry too much, the DJ is actually very good!"** Caroline replied, while smiling and nodding her head to her.

"**Oh Caroline, would you be an angel, and at least sing one song to save myself from this catastrophe?"** Caroline asked her, while putting her hands together as a silent prayer gesture.

"**What? But I can't …I don't know what to sing?"** Caroline mumbled nervously to Carole, while being dragged by her in direction of the stage.

"**Oh I'm sure you'll be fine, Caroline…It's probably just the nerves talking now…"** Carole replied to her, while pushing her last victim in front of her. **"…I know that you very often sang in the past at Mystic Grill, this is not very different, you'll see!"** She added to Caroline, while nodding her head.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Alex?" <strong>Stefan called in a low voice, while walking toward the Lockwood garden, scatterings his surroundings, before seeing a dark shadow coming out from behind a very high bush.

"**You were not followed?"** Alex asked Stefan.

"**No…"** Stefan replied to him, while shaking his head, before adding. **"Though, it should be me who ask you this question." **

"**Not a single one of these rich people would have notice a bum like me, or give me the time of the day!"** Alex replied to him, before adding. **"They'll think that I am the gardener or something."**

All the colorful lights went all off on the dance floor, creating a range of "Oh" And "Ah" among the invitees, before re-opening with a single spotlight directed at Caroline. Stefan raised his head in total surprise, before turning his sight to the stage, while seeing Caroline take place in front of a microphone.

"**You know that chick?"** Alex asked him, while lighting a cigarette, and taking his first puff.

"**It's Caroline…"** Stefan said to Alex, while putting both of his hands on each side of his waist.

"**Oh, ya…The vampire **_Barbie _**blond chick that Elena spoke to me about…Friend of hers…If I remember correctly..."** Alex replied, before seeing Stefan smirking at him. **"Ok man, what is so damn funny to you now?' **

"**Oh…I'm sorry…" **Stefan said to him, while shaking his head and continuing to smile, raising his head while looking at the night sky, before adding. **"It's not so much what you said, but the way you said it…"** Stefan added to him, while seeing Alex stare at him, before continuing in a murmur. **"…It's nice to have my brother back, even if you don't believe in it!" **

Alex turned his sight away from Stefan, while blushing, and taking nervously several puffs of his cigarette.

"**So, you're bedding the blond chick?"** Alex asked Stefan.

"**No way that your manners would improve a bit by the end of this evening, you think?"** Stefan asked him, while knitting his brow.

"**Nope…"** Alex answered him, in a mocking tone of voice.

"**I'm in love with her!"** Stefan confessed to Alex.

"**Wow!"** Alex replied, while raising his head to look at Stefan.

"**Don't smirk …Please don't smirk!"** Stefan said to him, while shaking his head, and seeing Alex smirked back at him.

"**Hi, everyone…"** Caroline said to the crowd, before adding**. "…So, my name is Caroline, and I will sing a song tonight in honor of this wonderful event, and as a thank you gesture to the Lockwood family!"** She added, before hearing the crowd applause, while smiling at Tyler who was standing with his arms crossed in front of the stage, with a big smile plastered on his face. **"I'll like to dedicate this song to an old friend of mine: Stefan Salvatore!"** She added, while raising her chin in the air in a confrontational gesture, with the biggest devil expression on her face, before adding. **"This song is for you, Stefan…I can really see you now, but wherever you are, I hope you can hear it…You were not able to understand what I tried to explain to you before, but I guess this will make things clearer to you now!" **She added, before turning her sight in direction of the DJ, while nodding her head to tell him to start the background music.

"**Wow! Impressive…" **Alex said to Stefan, while smirking, crossing his arms in front of his chest, before adding in sarcasm.** "No chick ever sang a song to me, before! You have to love this boring **_Pleasantville_** little town!" **

_First I was afraid I was petrified_  
><em>Kept thinkin' I could never live without you by my side;<em>  
><em>But then I spent so many nights<em>  
><em>Thinkin' how you did me wrong<em>  
><em>And I grew strong and I learned how to get along<em>

_And so you're back from outer space_  
><em>I just walked in to find you here with that sad look upon your face<em>  
><em>I should have changed that stupid lock<em>  
><em>I should have made you leave your key<em>  
><em>If I'd've known for just one second you'd back to bother me<em>

"**That's your girlfriend?"** Alex asked him, while raising one of his eyebrows, opening his eyes widely, and pointing a finger in Caroline's direction. **"Singing: **_I will survive you_** to you?"** He added to Stefan, before lowering his head, while retain his need to burst into laughter. **"Oh man…And I thought that I was bad with women!"** Alex added, while shaking his head, and giggling, before slapping Stefan's back with his right hand, as a mocking gesture, making Stefan roll his eyes, and biting his lips. The vampire man beside him was name Alex, but it was still Damon 100%!

_Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye_  
><em>Do you think I'd crumble<em>  
><em>Did you think I'd lay down and die?<em>  
><em>Oh no, not I. I will survive<em>  
><em>Oh as long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive;<em>  
><em>I've got all my life to live,<em>  
><em>I've got all my love to give and I'll survive,<em>  
><em>I will survive. Hey hey.<em>

"**Damn, she's mad at me, and I am freaking mad at myself for hurting her that way…All of this is my fault!"** Stefan mumbled angrily in his teeth to Alex, before turning on himself several times, and realizing that he was alone, no sign of his brother beside him. **"Alex?"** He whispered several times, without being answered.

"**Wow! Salvatore!"** He heard a voice calling him, before raising his sight to see Tyler, who was walking on the grass toward him, with both of his hands in his pants pocket. "**I think you reached a new low…"** He smirked in the face of Stefan, while nodding in direction of Caroline.

"**Get out of my way, Tyler…"** Stefan said to him, while trying to pass beside him, but without being able to it, with Tyler standing in front of him.

"**No, Stefan! You get out of my way!"** Tyler replied to him, while putting his left hand on his chest, to hold him immobile.

_I'm not that chained up little girl who's still in love with you,_  
><em>And so you felt like droppin' in<em>  
><em>And just expect me to be free,<em>  
><em>Now I'm savin' all my lovin' for someone who's lovin' me<em>  
><em>Go on now...<em>

"**Let go of me, Tyler…"** Stefan warned him, while turning his head and staring into Tyler's eyes.

Wild and noisy applauses come just as Caroline finished the song, making her salute the crowd in gratefulness.

"**Or what, Salvatore…"** Tyler asked him, while staring into Stefan's eyes. **"…You realize that she is over you, you are here only as her pity friend for the night!" **

In a time of a few seconds, Tyler was grabbed by the back of his shirt collar, while being projected to the other side of the garden, before landing unconscious on the ground.

"**You can't freaking be my brother!" **Stefan heard Alex say to him, while seeing him shake his head to him, before hearing him add: **"No brother of mine would let that earthworm treating him that way!" **He added to Stefan, while gesturing with his arms in direction of Tyler's body.

"**Well…Mister **_Hulk Hogan_**! If you had given me two seconds before throwing Tyler into the bushes…"** Stefan replied to Alex, while putting both of his hands on each side of his waist, before pointing a finger at Alex's chest. **"…Mister** "_Biker" _**man!** **Superhero of the day…"** Stefan added in anger to his brother.

They both stare angrily into each other's eyes for a short moment, before bursting into loud laughter, bending their body in two, to hold their contractions of laughter, before straightening their upper body, and passing a hand on their faces.

"**Gosh, Bill would never believe in a million years where I am standing now…A 70' disco nightmare with Polyester everywhere!"** Alex said to Stefan, while shaking his head in disbelief and staring at the Disco dancing floor.

"**Who's Bill? The bearded man I encounter a few years ago?"** Stefan asked him, while raising his head and looking at his brother.

"**Ya…he's been there for me the last few years…"** Alex responded to Stefan, while nodding his head, coughing and avoiding looking at Stefan in the eyes.

Stefan stared at his brother for a few moments, before nodding his head.

"**I would have been there also, if only….But….Well, I'm happy you had someone with you…Alex!"** Stefan said to him, while lowering his head.

"**Cigarette…"** Alex asked Stefan, while putting one in the corner of his lips, before handing the pack to Stefan.

"**Why not…"** Stefan replied to him, while taking one in his hand, before lighting its tip, and taking a puff.

"**He's here!"** Alex said to Stefan, in a more serious tone of voice.

"**I know…"** Stefan answered him. **"Rose?"**

"**She's been brought to the safe place that we agreed …By the chick in the police uniform…"** Alex replied to him. "…**So, you know what you have to do?"** Alex asked Stefan.

"**Yap…Hope all of this will work!"** Stefan replied to his brother.

"**It has to…"** Alex replied to him, before turning on himself, and starting to leave.

"**Alex…"** Stefan called him, before seeing him turning around. **"…Hopefully, I'll see you later?"** Stefan asked him, hoping that this would not be the last encounter with his long lost brother.

"**Hopefully…"** Alex replied to Stefan, while nodding his head to him, before disappearing.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Well…If it is not my ripper friend!"<strong> Klaus said to Stefan, while crossing his arms in front of his chest, titling his head, and smirking at him, before adding. **"It's been a long time, mate!" **

"**Yes…It's been, Klaus!" **Stefan replied to Klaus, while taking the last steps on the terrace stairs, before reaching his standing position, and throwing his cigarette on a nearashtray, making Klaus raising an eyebrow at his gesture, while suspecting. **"What are you doing back in town?"** Stefan asked him, while crossing his arms in front of his chest, and raising his chin.

"**Ah, dear Stefan…Always so in touch with all your human emotions…" **Klaus mockingly answered to him, before adding. **"…Well I've been graciously invited to this joyful event…Though, I still believe that the 1920' were way more fun than the 70'….You remember don't you….But this put aside…You know, time for a Sacrifice and all!"** Klaus added to him, while smirking.

"**Oh ya…The Sacrifice…"** Stefan smirked back at him, before adding. **"…Not very interested…"** He added to him, while trying to pass by him, before being held in place by a firm grip of Klaus on his left forearm.

"**Well…Get interested…Or maybe you brother** _Alex _**could be interested at your place?"** He added to Stefan, while staring into his eyes, before turning his sight to the ashtray and raising one of his eyebrows. **"You really think that I am a fool?"** He added to Stefan.

"**Well…You don't want me to tell you the answer to this, do you?"** Stefan answered him, while smirking at him.

"**What do you think I've done to you in the past five years?"** Klaus asked him, while tilting his head, and smiling sadistically.

Stefan felt a cold shiver hitting his spine.

"**Look in my eyes my dear friend…."** Klaus said in a whisper, before compelling him. **"…You'll find the little girl, and you'll bring her to me, now!" **He added to him, while seeing Stefan nodding his head to him, before pushing himself away from Klaus, and directing his walking steps toward the exit of the manor.

"**That's my boy!"** Klaus said to himself, while looking at his departure.

"**Where's Stefan?"** Tyler asked Klaus, while reaching his standing position, and passing a hand on the injured corner of his mouth, that was bleeding.

"**Following my orders…"** Klaus responded to him, before turning his sight to Tyler. **"…His brother is in town!" **

"**Damon?"** Tyler said out loud, in a dumfounded moment, before closing his fists in anger. **"Damn it…That explains why I find myself unconscious in the bushes!" **Tyler added to him, before continuing.** "…You don't seem too nervous about it?" **

"**Well…They probably did not see this part of the story coming…" **Klaus said to Tyler, in a sarcastic tone of voice.

"**What? Oh…Come on Klaus, don't hurt Rose, she's just a kid!"** Tyler begged Klaus, while shaking his head.

"**I would change your tone of voice toward me, if I was you, Tyler…"** Klaus said to him, while angrily looking at him. **"…Or you mother could suffer from the sudden change of behavior coming from you!"** He added madly at him.

"**I'm sorry…"** Tyler replied to him, before bending his head in respect in front of him**. "…So, what is your master plan this time, Klaus" **

Klaus turned his head to look at Tyler in the eyes, before smirking maliciously, taking a few steps to reach the granite ramp of the terrace, sliding his hands on it, while scattering the spectacle of the evening in front of him.

"**It took me many years to finally being able to compel Stefan to the ultimate end game!"** He explained to Tyler, before adding. **"I compelled Stefan to bring me **_Rose_**, when the time would be right for the **_Sacrifice_**…And then I made him forget about it…All about this beautiful niece that he didn't even knew existed….At any price necessary, he has to bring her to me, now….Even the price of fighting his brother till death would occur…We have reserved for us: front row seats to the best gladiator fight in all time, my dear werewolf friend…The **_Ripper killer_** will fight his brother the **_Beast_** till death will separate them! Now we just need to "**_Knock on wood"_**, like the song playing now…And wait for Damon Salvatore to be killed by his own brother – See, I was ten steps ahead of them all!" **Klaus explained deviously, while smirking, to an open mouth – shocked Tyler.

* * *

><p>At the <em><strong>bip<strong>_ sound please leave a message or review to Lovely Vero, she is unfortunately not available at the moment, due to a serious need to leave the country after posting this cliffhanger!

LOL! Kidding guys ;) I hope you truly enjoyed this chapter…I know I did…I was writing while listening to Disco songs, and I had a ball!

Till the next finale, and very, very long chapter to come, keep safe!


	9. The show must go on FINAL CHAPTER

**Song inspiration: SEVEN DEVILS / FLORENCE + MACHINE & SHOW MUST GO ON / QUEEN**

* * *

><p><strong>WHISPER OF THE PAST<strong>

**AN UNEXPECTED LOVE AFFAIR - PART II**

**COMBINED "FINALE CHAPTER"**

**By Lovely Vero**

* * *

><p><strong>CHAPTER 9<strong>

"**THE SHOW MUST GO ON"**

* * *

><p>Empty spaces - what are we living for?<br>Abandoned places - I guess we know the score…  
>On and on!<br>Does anybody know what we are looking for?

Another hero - another mindless crime.  
>Behind the curtain, in the pantomime.<br>Hold the line!  
>Does anybody want to take it anymore?<br>The Show must go on!  
>The Show must go on!Yeah!<br>Inside my heart is breaking,  
>My make-up may be flaking,<br>But my smile, still, stays on!

Whatever happens, I'll leave it all to chance.  
>Another heartache - another failed romance.<br>On and on...  
>Does anybody know what we are living for?<br>I guess i'm learning  
>I must be warmer now..<br>I'll soon be turning, round the corner now.  
>Outside the dawn is breaking,<br>But inside in the dark I'm aching to be free!

The Show must go on!  
>The Show must go on! Yeah,yeah!<br>Ooh! Inside my heart is breaking!  
>My make-up may be flaking...<br>But my smile, still, stays on!  
>Yeah! oh oh oh<p>

My soul is painted like the wings of butterflies,  
>Fairy tales of yesterday, will grow but never die,<br>I can fly, my friends!

The Show must go on! Yeah!  
>The Show must go on!<br>I'll face it with a grin!  
>I'm never giving in!<br>On with the show!

I'll top the bill!  
>I'll overkill!<br>I have to find the will to carry on!  
>On with the show!<br>On with the show!

_"__The Show must go on" from __**Queen**_

* * *

><p><em>Alex underground quarters- Twenty four hours prior<em>

"**I can't believe this!"** Bill screamed, while slapping, with his right hand, the cup that Elena was holding in hers, scattering its content on the cement.

"**Well, thank you, thank you very much. You just spilled my dinner on the floor!"** She screamed back at him.

"**Elena, I'm too angry at you and Alex to even being able to articulate how much at this present moment."** Bill replied to her, while pacing back and forth and passing a nervous hand over his beard. **"In a way I could understand that you would go to such extreme to save your daughter. But, I don't understand why Alex would do it!"**

"**Are you kidding me, Bill? He always wanted this. His goal was to attain this ultimate challenge!" **Elena repied to him.

"**No, you're mistaken." **Bill said to her, while shaking his head and adding. **"He loved the humanity that he was seeing in you, he was able to feel his own through you, Elena, especially, since he lost his memory of who he was before." **Bill explained to her, before continuing. **"And you had to make a decision that will change both of your life." **

"**I can't leave my daughter without a mother and a father, Bill. You should understand that fact better than anybody else!" **She screamed at him.

"**But, you could still die Elena. And, I do understand, when Klaus killed my family in front of my eyes, I felt my heart being ripped from my chest, believe me…But, the decision you took will change forever your relationship with Alex. You'll be resentful to him one day." **Bill tried to explain to her.

"**No, I won't be resentful! This would have happen sooner or later."** She replied to Bill, while gesturing with her hands. ** "Please, Bill, we have to go back to Mystic Falls, we have to fight at Alex's side…Please, you weren't able to save your own family, maybe we can try to save mine?" **She begged him, while putting her shaking hands, on his right forearm.

"**Are you flirting with me, Elena?" **Bill asked, while raising one of his eyebrows in suspicion.

"**I would rather put my hand in an aquarium full of Piranhas…"** Elena replied, while smirking.

"**That's what I thought."** He replied to her, while smirking back at her.

"**Please…"** She begged him more.

Bill stared at Elena's eyes for a short moment, before nodding his head.

"**Ok, pack your bag, we're leaving."** He responded to her, before adding. **"We'll leave the men here for the protection of the children!" **

"**Thank you!"** She exclaimed, before jumping into his arms and hugging him.

"**I hope Alex won't kill me for this?"** Bill murmured, while hugging her back, without knowing that two wondering ears were listening to the entire conversation between them.

Roberto pushed Samantha away from the open door of the refectory.

"**Roberto."** The little girl called, before being pushed, by the teenager, against the underground wall, with a hand covering her mouth.

"**Keep quiet, Samantha." ** Roberto whispered to her.

"**We need to go save Alex. He is like a daddy to me, Roberto."** Samantha told him, while staring at him with her big eyes.

"**No, not "we"- "Me"…You'll stay here!"** Roberto told her, with an angry stare.

"**Roberto, please, Alex is everything for me, I need to come too…Please?"** Samantha asked him, with teary eyes.

Roberto closed his eyes, while sighing to calm himself down. What was he suppose to do now?

* * *

><p>Caroline scattered the crowd while turning on herself several times, without finding Stefan. She moved away from the mass, while taking a path toward the Lockwood gardens. She suddenly felt a hand covering her mouth, and projecting her toward a garden wall. She pushed the attacker with her vampire speed on the ground, before being pushed back, one more time, on the wall.<p>

"**Not bad, for a vampire baby girl, but certainly not good enough!"** Alex said to Caroline, while keeping a solid grip on her throat.

"**Damon?"** Caroline mumbled between her trembling lips, while staring at him with wide open eyes.

Alex stared at the blonde chick for a short moment, while swallowing a bump in his throat, before releasing her, and sliding his hand in his jeans pocket to take his pack of cigarettes.

"**You got the name confused, Blondie"** He responded to her, while lighting one.

"**Right…Alex, isn't it?"** She mumbled nervously, while rubbing her throat and smiling timidly at him. **"You changed, your hair is longer, and you're dressing with a rocker – biker edge now."** She said timidly to him.

"**I'm not into fashion, I couldn't say!"** He responded to her, while taking a puff of his cigarette and staring at Caroline.

"**Course you're not." **She said, while rubbing her hands together. **"How's …How's Elena?"**

Alex raised his stare at her, while suddenly throwing his cigarette on the ground, before stepping his biker boot over it, without even finishing the rest.

"**Alive."** He responded to Caroline.

"**Well, you did not get a better attitude while loosing your memory, let me tell you!"** She suddenly said to him, while rolling eyes, and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

Alex narrowed his stare on her, making her blush and stand straighter than usual.

"**Have we ever been friends?"** He asked her, while shaking his head in disbelief and adding. **"I mean, Damon Salvatore, was he ever your friend?" **

"**Not really." **She replied to him, while shrugging her shoulders, before adding.** "We were neither friends nor enemies." **

"**That's what I thought." **He replied to her, while rolling his eyes.

"**What that means?" **She asked him, in anger.

"**No disrespect, but, we are not exactly coming from the same cloth fabric, Blondie!" **He replied to her.

Caroline shrugged her shoulders, while staring at him.

"**I am Elena's friend though, I just…I just need to know that you did not hurt her?"** She asked once again.

Alex raised his sight to look at Caroline, before sighing.

"**Physically, no., except for the tattoo, but she was compelled to not feel anything."** He shrugged his shoulders at her.

"**What you mean the tattoo?"** She exclaimed in total shock.

Alex shook his head one more time, while dismissing her saying with a hand gesture.

"**Nevertheless, Elena was able to pass through your thick ego skin!"** Caroline replied to him, while raising her chin in the air, in triumph.

"**Don't push it, Blondie. Where's Salvatore?"** Alex asked her.

"**Who?"** Caroline asked him dumbfounded, before rolling her eyes. **"You mean, your "brother" Stefan? I thought he was with you?"**

"**No."** Alex responded to her, while raising one of his eyebrows in suspicion, biting his lips, and grabbing her arms in anger. **"I thought he was with you!"**

"**He's not."** Caroline answered him, while shaking her head. **"We talked on the dance floor, we mostly argued, and then I sang…Where is he now?" **She asked Alex, while suddenly panicking.

"**I should have known that you would be back in town sooner or later, looser like you never stay away long enough!"** They both heard Tyler, address himself to Alex.

"**Oh look, it's the mummy rich boy again!"** Alex said, while smirking at Tyler, and taking a few walking steps toward him, before being hold immobile by Caroline.

"**Alex, don't."** She said to him, before adding. **"He's not worth it!" **

"**Wow! Caroline, you are finally showing your true colors!" **Tyler busted at her.

"**You're despicable Tyler. You betrayed me and you betrayed Elena and all your friends. But most of all, you betrayed yourself!" **She lashed out at him.

Tyler closed his fists in anger, while staring at Caroline.

"**I protected my mother; Caroline. Klaus would have killed her. You should understand that part, you protected Rose."** Tyler explained to her.

"**But you sell your soul to him!"** Caroline screamed back at him, under the annoyed look of Alex.

"**And you sell yours to the Salvatores, let just say that we are even."** Tyler responded to her, with a mad glare.

"**God Tyler, all of this because of your stupid jealousy?"** Caroline asked him, while gesturing with her hands.

"**No! All of this is because I love you, Caroline. That is the part you did not understand before. I never ceased to love you, but, you choose this low life Salvatore instead."** Tyler replied to her, while hitting his chest with anger.

"**Cut out the drama, rich boy! Where is he now?"** Damon asked, while narrowing his glare at him, like a predator would do in front of his prey.

"**Tyler, please?" **Caroline begged him, before adding. **"I beg you, if not for me, do it for Rose."**

Tyler lowered his head for a short moment, before rising it back up and shaking it.

"**He's been sired by Klaus to bring Rose to him!"** He confessed to her, while avoiding looking at Caroline in the eyes.

"**Oh my God, Tyler!"** Caroline exclaimed, while putting a hand over her mouth in total shock.

"**And, there is more."** Tyler continued saying, before closing his eyes, and stumbling on the ground, in front of a mouth open – speechless Caroline.

"**What did you just do?"** Caroline screamed at Alex, in total shock.

"**I shut him up!"** Alex responded to her. **"He was getting on my last nerves!"**

"**You killed him?"** She asked him, completely dumfounded.

"**No!"** Alex busted at her. **"I just made this earthworm sleep for hours! Seriously, Stefan Salvatore is way better than this jerk, no wonder you chose my brother over him!"** Alex added to her, while rolling his eyes, and grabbing her hands in his, before dragging Caroline away from the gardens.

"**We can't leave him like this!"** Caroline shouted at him, while turning her head to look at Tyler unconsciousness.

"**Watch me!"** Alex answered her, while walking toward the exit of the Lockwood Manor.

"**Now, you have no idea what he was going to warn us about?" **Caroline added to him.

"**Don't give a fuck about what he was going to say!"** He lashed out at Caroline. **"We need to go find Rose at the safe place where your mother took her, or it will be too late!" **

"**They are not there."** She murmured to him, while closing one of her eyes, in expectation of his fury.

Alex stopped his pace in the middle of the parking, before turning on himself.

"**What do you mean they are not there? Stefan gave me the specific location of their safe whereabouts?"** Alex asked her, while holding her shoulders and shaking Caroline.

"**I changed it; I changed the safe place at the last moment. I don't know why…It's not that I did not trust Stefan…I… I just listen to my guts as for Rose safety!" **Caroline explained to Alex.

Alex face illuminated with the biggest smile and sparkles in his eyes.

"**You're a freaking genius, Blondie!"** He exclaimed to her.

"**You're not mad at me?"** She asked him, completely dumfounded.

"**Mad at you? Are you crazy, baby. This is a genius move! And you are less stupid that I thought you were!"** He added to her, before taking a small trail toward the forest, with Caroline following his every step.

**your"Hey! Watch mouth!"** She screamed at him, while stumbling several times on branches, before stopping her walking pace in front of Alex's Transam car, opening her eyes widely in front of the skull design on the hood.

"**That's your car?"** Caroline asked him, while opening her eyes widely.

Alex opened his passenger door, while sitting rapidly on the driver seat.

"**Get inside the car!" **He ordered her, before seeing her take place on the passenger seat. **"Phone your mom; tell her that we're heading toward their location!"** He told her to do, before starting the engine on a grinning of the wheels.

"**They are at the chalet of my father; I'll tell you how to get there."** She nodded her head to him, while clinching her hands on the dashboard. Gosh, He was driving fast! **"And, Alex…" **

Alex turned his head to stare at Caroline.

"**Rose will be fine, I know that you are worrying about her, I can see it in your eyes!" **She told him.

Alex lowered his sight away from hers, while keeping his stare on the route. He was not worrying about Rose; he was scared to death about her! He had promise Elena to keep her safe.

* * *

><p>The up-beat tempo of a Britney Spears rang tone was suddenly heard in the small binnacle, while startling Caroline.<p>

"**My phone is ringing?" **Caroline said, while seeing Alex turn his head to look at her.

"**I'm not deaf, answer it, it could be him."** Alex said, while nodding his head to her in approval.

"**Caroline?" **Elena murmured, in Bill's cell phone, while putting a hand over her mouth, feeling tears rolling on her cheeks, she had missed her so much.

"**Oh my God, Elena, Is it really you?" **Caroline said, while putting a hand over her chest.

"**It's me, Caroline, it's me! How are you?" **Elena asked her.

"**I'm ok, I'm with…"** Caroline started to say to her friend, before seeing the cell phone being taken away from her hands. **"Hey!"** Caroline screamed at him.

"**You have two seconds, woman, to tell me what the hell you're doing?" **Alex busted in anger, into Caroline's phone.

"**Alex, please calm down!"** Elena murmured to him, while closing her eyes.

"**Where are you?"** He asked her, before adding. **"Who gave you access to a phone?"**

"**Bill…It is Bill's phone!"** She answered him.

Alex closed his eyes, while groaning with anger.

"**Please, Alex, I need to know where Rose is. I need to come for her…Please, let me know where you are heading. What is going on?" **Elena asked him.

"**You're a stubborn woman, Elena Gilbert. You're lucky that I don't have my hands wrapped around your pretty little neck, or my hands in top of your beautiful bottom at this present moment!"** Alex warned her.

"**After what you did to me the other night, it would not change anything, would it?"** She said to him, while timidly smiling.

Alex blushed, while shaking his head and biting his lips. She had to remind him of that.

"**No, it would not change anything."** He admitted to her, while smiling in front of a mouth open Caroline. **"I'm still wondering if the over the top speech about your feelings for me, the day I left, was genuinely truthful."** He asked her, while tapping his fingers nervously on the starring wheels.

"**It was."** She whispered to him, while blushing, in front of a smirking Bill who was keeping his sight on the route.

"**Bill is beside you?"** Alex asked her.

"**Yes, but Alex, where are heading up North, near Mystic Falls now, and we need to know your location, and I need to know what is going on?"** Elena begged him, before adding as a threat. **"If you want any kind of relationship with me, we need to trust each other." **

"**Bargaining chip, and hit below the belt?" **Bill questioned Elena, while blinking an eye at her, to which she passed her tongue back at him.

Alex sighed in anger, before closing his eyes.

"**Stefan Salvatore was compelled by Klaus to find Rose…She is apparently his first goal now. We're heading toward your friend chalet. Rose is there with the Police chick!" **Alex explained to Elena.

"**The police chick, who are you talking about?" **Elena repeated, while raising one eyebrow, before realizing.** "Oh…You mean Liz? Caroline's mother? We can arrive at the same time that you will." **She said to him, while turning her head to look at Bill, before adding.** "I know where it's located we used to go in the summer time when we were children." **

"**No! You can't!"** He screamed at her, before adding. **"Pass me Bill!"** He added to her, to which she closed her fists in anger, while biting her lips. **"Now!"** He screamed, before hearing Bill's voice in the phone. **"That wasn't your brightest idea to be Elena's driver!"** Alex said to him.

"**Well, it can't certainly beat the one you had with Elena before you left."** Bill replied, tit for tat, to his friend, making Alex wince at his remark.

"**We'll talk about that problem later. Now, to put you up to date: Stefan Salvatore was compelled by our friend Klaus to find Rose. Rose is presently in a safe place with her mother's friend in a secret, up North whereabouts, that he should know nothing about, but we could be mistaken. Listen Bill, wait for me there, and don't do something stupid, do you hear me!"** Alex warned Bill.

"**Well, I'll see what your new girlfriend has to say about it."** Bill answered Alex, while smirking.

"**You are playing with my nerves now, you know that?"** Alex replied to his friend, to which Bill smirk even more.

"**See you there, Alex. And, don't worry; we'll save your daughter!"** Bill replied to him, before closing his cell phone.

"**I'm starting to like you."** Elena said to Bill, while crossing her arms in front of her chest, before adding very sarcastically. **"And I don't like it at all!" **

"**What's not to like, Princess?" **Bill answered her, while giggling.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Rose?"<strong> Stefan called the little girl's name, while opening the door of the chalet. He had always known about the second secret whereabouts of Caroline, Always! He just kept it in a place in his mind that was working under Klaus's compulsion.

"**Stefan?" **Liz called him, while standing from her sitting position in the living room, before walking toward the main entrance.** "Is it you?" **

"**Yes, it's me, Liz? Where are you? Where is Rose?" **He asked her, while carefully walking toward the living room, before seeing Liz walking toward him in the small entrance corridor.

"**We are watching TV in the living room." **Liz responded, before walking toward him.** "Look at you Stefan, you look smitten in your 70' disco costume, but, I don't understand? The dance is already finished? It's quite early, don't you think? And where's Caroline?"** She asked him, while standing in front of him.

Stefan narrowed his stare on her, before grabbing her right forearm.

"**What's going on, Stefan?"** She asked him, in total shock.

"**Step aside, Liz, and I swear that I won't hurt you."** He very calmly ordered her to do.

"**Let go of my arm, Stefan!"** She asked him, in a firm tone of voice.

"**Step aside, Liz, and everything will be fine."** He repeated to her.

"**Uncle Stefan, is that you?"** They heard Rose calling him from afar.

"**I don't think so, Stefan."** Liz said to him, while shaking her head and adding. **"Something is apparently wrong with you. We should wait for Caroline, and…"** She started explaining to him.

Stefan grabbed forcefully her shoulders, before pushing her on the wall, while hitting her head, seeing her fall unconscious on the floor at his feet a second later.

"**Uncle Stefan!"** Rose shouted in shocked, while seeing her Aunt Liz unconscious on the floor.

"**Come here, Rose."** Stefan ordered her, while staring at Rose with colder than ice eyes, before handing his hand to her.

"**No, you are hurting Aunt Liz, go away!"** She screamed, before storming toward the inside of the house, with Stefan running after her.

* * *

><p>Alex stepped out of his car, while putting a silent sign of a finger on his lips to warned Caroline, Bill and Elena who were getting out of their own truck. They had parked the car and truck at a safe distance of the chalet, but you could never be sure of anything regarding Klaus. Even if technically, this hiding place was known to be safe.<p>

Elena ran to Caroline, before hugging her.

"**Oh my God, Elena, are you alright?"** Caroline murmured to her friend.

"**I'm ok."** Elena whispered to Caroline, while caressing her blond hair.

Bill walked toward Damon, before taking his pack of cigarette and lighting one, while seeing Alex narrowing his glare toward the forest.

"**You think it's safe?"** Bill asked him.

Alex shook his head to him, while putting his hand on each side of his waist.

"**I'll go toward the forest, go inside with Elena and her friend!"** Alex ordered him.

"**But, your daughter could be inside?"** Bill told him.

"**She's not, Bill, I can feel it."** Alex replied to Bill.

"**I'll go with you then."** Bill informed him.

"**I don't want you involved in this, Bill!"** Alex busted at him.

"**The day you saved me from dying, and turned me as a vampire after Klaus had murdered my all family, I was already involved, Alex." **Bill replied to him, while passing a nervous hand on his beard.

"**Go inside with them. Elena is too weak; she has no idea the time it takes to process it."** Alex told Bill, before asking. **"Did you feed her?"**

Bill nodded his head, before turning on himself and taking a few walking steps to reach Elena that was walking toward them.

"**Go with Caroline inside, Bill, I'll be with you in a minute." **She asked him, with an imploring gaze.

"**If you are not inside in five minutes, I'll come and get you!"** Bill warned her.

"**Ok."** She replied to him, while nodding her head.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Go inside the house!" <strong>Alex ordered Elena.

"**Are you going to continue to give me orders till the end of time?"** Elena asked Alex, while sliding her hands on his chest.

"**There is a high chance of that." **Alex replied to her, while locking his sight in hers, before sliding his arms around her shoulders, and hugging her. **"Oh, Elena, what have I done to you?"** He murmured near her ears, while kissing her hair.

"**Oh, Alex…"** Elena whispered to him, while sliding her hands in his hair. **"I love you!"** She added, making him startled in surprise.

"**Don't say that."** He responded to her, while shaking his head.

"**Why? It's the truth. I simply fell in love with you all over again, and you know it now. You know it since our last night together."** She whispered more to him, while sweet kissing his lips.

Alex gently pushed her out of his embrace, while searching in her eyes for a prove of her say, when he find it, he lowered his head, before crushing his lips on her, rubbing his hands all over her body.

"**I knew that one day you'll be the death of me, woman."** He whispered in top of her lips, while sliding strands of her hair behind her ears. **"Now, go inside, ok?"** He ordered her, while gently pushing Elena away from him.

"**Don't you want to see your daughter?"** She asked him, completely dumfounded.

"**I…I just want to look around, to see if everything is safe."** He responded to her, with a smile.

"**Ok…"** She said, while nodding her head, before walking toward the house and turning on herself to look at Alex one more time.

* * *

><p>"<strong>It's safe, you can come out!" <strong>Roberto murmured to Samantha, who was hiding under a blanket in the back of Bill's truck.

"**Where's Alex?"** Samantha murmured to him.

"**I heard him talk to Elena, he's heading toward the forest…I'll follow him." **Roberto responded to the little girl.

"**I'll go with you!"** Samantha whispered back to him.

"**No! It's too dangerous for you to be following me!"** Roberto said to her, while pushing her back in the truck.

"**But, I'm scared Roberto, I don't want to be here alone all by myself." **She sniffled, while passing her little hands over her eyes to stop her tears, making Roberto roll his eyes.

"**Ok, but you have to hide behind me, do you understand?"** He asked her.

Samantha shook her head in approval, before getting out of the truck with Roberto behind her.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Mummy, are you here?"<strong> Caroline called her, while pushing slowly the front door of the chalet, with Bill on her footsteps. **"Rose, it's me sweetie, Where are you?"** She continued calling, while seeing Bill signing to her to continue to talk, while making his patrol along the wall.

He suddenly lowered his sight to a dark corner of the corridor, before nodding his head to Caroline; attracting her sight in direction of a body that was lying on the floor.

"**Mum!"** Caroline exclaimed in shock, while rushing at Liz side, before kneeling and raising her head, feeling a heart beat while placing her finger over the pumping vein of her neck, and sighing with relief. **"She's alive!"** She informed Bill, while raising her sight to look at him, to which he nodded, and continue to search the house.

Elena entered the house, while rushing at Caroline side.

"**What happened?"** Elena asked her, while putting a friendly hand on her shoulder.

"**I don't know, but she's alive. He did not…I mean, Stefan would never kill her!"** Caroline mumbled in shock, while passing a nervous hand through her hair.

"**Where's Bill? Where's Rose?"** Elena asked her.

"**I don't know."** Caroline replied to her, while shaking her head and adding. **"He is in the house, looking for her. You think that Stefan got to her?"**

Elena shook her head in disbelief, before rising on her feet, rushing to the kitchen, while taking a glass on the counter and a cloth. She filled the glass with water and wet the cloth before rushing back toward Caroline, while handing them to her.

"**Stay here, I will find Bill!"** She said to Caroline.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Rose, I know you are here…Come out from where you're hiding. I'll find you eventually!"<strong> The sired Stefan screamed into the forest, while turning on himself, and groaning his frustration.

Rose crawled on the ground full of leafs for several minutes, hiding behind several trees, before rising on her feet and running in front of her.

She stopped, while bending her upper body to catch her breathe, before feeling an arm encircling her waist, lifting her in the air, with a hand over her mouth. She screamed under her assailant's hand, but without any success of being freed.

"**Shh…"** She heard in her ears, before being turned to face him, by two strong arms. **"Hi!"** Alex murmured, while staring into her eyes and smiling timidly.

Rose little face illuminated in the time space of seconds.

"**Hi Daddy…"** She responded to him, while passing her little arms around his neck and sliding her head in the hollow of his left shoulder.

Alex closed his eyes, while feeling a range of intense emotions hitting him all at once. He knew now, he knew while hugging this little girl that she was his. He had always known in a sense, but now, it was even more real to him.

"**Ok."** He whispered to her, lost of words, while putting her down on her feet. **"Are you hurt in any way?"**

"**Nope…But, Uncle Stefan hurt Aunty Liz, and I had to run away from him, why would he want to hurt me?"** She asked bravely to Alex.

"**You did well by running away. You uncle is kind of sick."** He responded to her, while sliding a hand on her hair, before kneeling in front of her. **"Listen to me, sweetie. You need to run now, ok? As fast as you can and go back to the house. You mummy is waiting for you there."** He told her to do.

She nodded her head, before exclaiming:

"**Mummy is back? I'm so happy! But what about Uncle Stefan, he is not feeling well…And I don't want him to be alone!"** She honestly said to Alex.

"**I'll take care of him. Now go!"** Alex ordered Rose, while pushing the little girl with his hand on her back. She nodded to him, one last time before running toward a range of tree in direction of the chalet.

Stefan heard the sound of footsteps on leafs, before taking off toward the same path, before being pushed away with one strong hand placed on his chest to hold him immobile.

"**Hey man!"** Alex exclaimed to him, before adding. **"Are you in some kind of a hurry? Can we chat?"**

Stefan narrowed his sight on Alex, like a predator on his prey, without answering him.

"**Cigarette?" **Alex asked him, while handing his pack to him.

"**Get out of my way!"** Stefan ordered him to do, while fixating a point behind Alex.

"**Ah, come on, we just met, you and I, and we are getting to know each other…So, this is the way you are speaking to me now?"** Alex mocked him, while lighting his cigarette and taking a puff.

"**At last…"** They heard a voice calling, before turning to face Klaus who was walking toward them, with a few vampire men behind him. **"Gentleman, you are right in time!"** He added, with a smirk on his face.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Let me go, Bill!"<strong> Elena warned, while passing beside him, before being retained by a firm grip on her right arm.

"**I don't think so Elena."** Bill responded to her.

"**Let me go find my daughter!"** She screamed at him, while raising her chin in the air, in a confrontational gesture.

"**You're not strong enough to handle this, not right at this present moment. I'll go and you'll stay here with your friend and her mother."** Bill answered her, while putting a bag in her hand. **"Drink, it's been hours already!"** He added to her, while nodding his head.

Elena stepped away from him, while sighting angrily at him, ripping the bag with her teeth, before taking big gulp from it.

"**Elena?"** She heard Caroline calling her, before turning on herself, and putting a hand over her dripping mouth. **"Oh my God, this can't be true!"** Caroline exclaimed, while putting a hand over her mouth, in total state of shock.

* * *

><p>Rose ran as fast as she could through the big alleys of trees, before feeling a grip on her left arm pulling her forcefully behind several bushes. She screamed, but the screams were put to silence by a hand over her mouth.<p>

"**Shh…"** She heard in her right hear. **"My name is Roberto, I am a friend of Alex, and I don't want to harm you in any way."**

Roberto released Rose, and turned her body around to make her face him.

"**Hi! Are you Rose?"** He asked her, to which she nodded her head.

"**Hi!"** Samantha said to Rose, while approaching her. **"I'm Samantha. We are friends of your dad!" **

"**Hi!" **Rose said to both of them, while starring at Samantha and smiling at her.** "My daddy told me to go back to the house, and to stay there. My uncle Stefan is bizarre now, he is acting all different and he hurt Liz!" **

"**Ok, where is Alex? I mean where is you daddy?" **Roberto asked her.

Rose pointed her little finger toward a trail of trees.

"**Ok, Rose & Samantha, you need to run back to the house and stay safe. I'll go find Alex and bring him back with me, with your uncle Stefan, ok?"** Roberto told the little girls, before rising on his feet, and running toward the trail.

"**You want to stay here, follow him, or go back to the house?"** Samantha asked Rose, while taking her hand in hers.

"**What do you want?'** Rose asked, while smirking at her, to which Samantha giggled, before nodding her head and blinking an eye at her.

* * *

><p>"<strong>He turned you?"<strong> Caroline screamed at Elena, while gesturing nervously with her arms and hands. **"Bastard, he is! Why would he do that to you, Elena?"** She questioned her.

Elena lost all the colors in her face, while swallowing a lump in her throat. She was hopping to delay this moment between them.

"**Why in hell would you do something like that, Elena?"** Caroline busted in her face.

"**Because, Caroline. I realized that since my birth, and as doppelgangers it was my destiny to be a vampire. The supernatural world will always be a part of my life, and I need to protect Rose."** She responded to her.

"**Alex obviously took advantage of a bad situation, Elena."** Caroline added.

"**Caroline, please. It's not what you think at all."** Elena responded, while shaking her head and taking her friend by the shoulders. **"Listen to me, it's the other way around, I asked Alex to turn me. I begged him to do it!"** She confessed to her.

"**So, now…It's Alex, it's not **_Damon_** anymore?'** Caroline asked her, while raising an eyebrow in suspicion.

"**It's the same!"** Elena responded to her friend, while shrugging her shoulders, blushing and turning on herself, before dropping the empty blood bag on the counter.

"**No it's not, Elena! What he has done to you? You used to be so against turning as a vampire, you would have said no to Damon, and now you did it for Alex?" **Caroline asked her, before taking a few walking steps to reach Elena's standing position, raising her t-shirt with her hand while starring and nodding her head toward the tattoo.

"**I did it for my family Caroline, and that includes Damon."** Elena responded to her.

"**Then why is it Alex's name written in permanent ink in your lower back?"** Caroline asked her, while making Elena blush.

"**Don't do this, Caroline?"** Elena asked her, while shaking her head, and trying to retain her tears. **"It's more complicated than you think."** She added to her, while lowering her head, grabbing, with both of her hands, the kitchen counter.

Caroline closed her eyes, while sighing, and putting a friendly hand on Elena's left shoulder.

"**Who am I to judge?"** Caroline said to her friend, while lowering her sight and adding. **"Look at me, worrying about Stefan, and what Klaus could have done to him. I'm afraid Elena, Stefan would have never attacked my mother this way before, whatever Klaus did to him, it's bad enough to make him change. At least, Alex found his way back to you." **

Elena turned on herself, and stared into Caroline's eyes.

"**Stefan will find his way back, we'll make him come back. He'll come back to you!"** Elena told Caroline, before scattering the kitchen, and exclaiming. **"Where's Bill?"**

"**I don't know he was here a short moment ago." **Caroline responded to Elena, while eyeing the place herself.

"**I need to go."** Elena exclaimed, while taking a few steps toward the entrance, before being retained by Caroline, with a solid grip on her right forearm.

"**No, you don't!"** Caroline told her. **"You just turned, Elena. You are experimenting every emotions with a higher intensity, you're not ready to go against Klaus!"** Caroline explained to her.

"**Let go of my arm, Caroline! Alex, Rose, Stefan and Bill are outside…I have to go, I need to find them!"** She warned her friend.

"**Then, we'll find them together!"** Caroline reassured Elena, while nodding her head.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Well, isn't it a lovely gathering: Two lost brothers, who finally found each other. As for us, my dear Alex, I believe we were meant to meet again."<strong> Klaus shouted, while approaching him.

"**I was not especially looking forward to it, Klaus. What can I say, I have the tendency to always been around low life asshole like you!"** Alex responded, while grinning at him.

"**Stefan, Mate…You're going to let your brother talking to me in that tone of voice?"** Klaus asked, while maliciously putting a friendly hand on Stefan's left shoulder. **"Where's the child?"** Klaus demanded.

"**I had her, but, she ran toward the forest again." **Stefan responded to him, in a sired tone of voice.

"**Then you don't have her! Well….That is so unfortunate, because you see…If the person that I want the most is not deliver to me in the next hour, I'll have no other choice but to get rid of innocents bystanders."** Klaus explained to them, while pacing back and forth, and signing one of his vampire men to bring one hostage.

The vampire man got back while dragging behind him Roberto, who was kicking arms and legs to fight the solid grip the man had on him.

"**Damn it!"** Alex mumbled angrily in his teeth, while closing his fists in anger.

"**Your young friend seems to want to fight you battle, Alex. The noble thing to do would be to let him, what do you think?"** Klaus smirked, while crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Alex took several steps to reach Klaus standing position, before being held immobile by Stefan, with a hand on his chest.

"**Alex!"** Roberto screamed while trying to free himself, but without being able to make a move.

"**Now, see what happens when you trying to double cross me, Alex. I get bitter and furious, and between you and me, you don't want to see me furious!"** Klaus warned him, before adding in an anger one of voice. **"Because you see, in my world: The show must go on…And to have the show started, I need to have Rose!" **

"**Funny, you don't want to see me furious either!"** They heard a voice addressing itself to Klaus.

Klaus and his men turned toward the dark shadow that was walking toward them from behind the trees.

"**Ah, your right hand enforcer man just arrived!"** Klaus exclaimed, while smirking even more. **"You're quite a popular man, Alex. He would also be willing to die to save you." **

"**Not only to save him." **Bill responded to the Original, before adding.** "But, more to take my revenge on you!" **

Klaus turned his head toward Bill in surprise, while taking a few steps to reach him.

"**And what would be your business with me, mate, other than your friend Alex?"** Klaus asked him.

Bill swallowed a lump in his throat, before raising his sight in Klaus's.

"**My business with you would be the deaths of my entire family."** Bill replied to him, before adding. **"Five years ago, you killed my wife and my two young boys, before burning my farm down, and leaving me to die!" **

Klaus startled in surprise, while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**I killed a lot of humans in my life time, mate…I have no recognition of your family, and to be frank your little sad story won't prevent me of sleeping at night!" **Klaus responded, while smirking and crossing his arms in front of his chest.

Bill raised his stare at him, before nodding his head in obedience, turning on himself and suddenly storming into the direction of the vampire who was holding Roberto, pushing Roberto on the ground before entering his hand inside the thorax of the vampire victim, pulling the heart out of the dead body.

"**Alex!" **Bill screamed.

"**On my way…" **Alex replied to him.

Roberto fell on the ground while hitting his head on a rock. Alex took the opportunity to push his brother out of his way, while hitting him in the stomach. Stefan retaliated by crushing his right arm in his back, pushing him on the trunk of a tree, before raising a tree branch in his right hand, and lowering it a second later on Alex chest.

"**Now, new brother of mine…Is it a way of taking time to know the new me?"** Alex mumbled in his teeth, before freeing himself, and pushing Stefan on the ground.

"**You want to try with me, mate?" **Klaus asked Bill, while storming into him, and pushing him on the ground, before rolling in the leaves with Bill at his side.

Rose and Samantha growled on the ground, before pushing bushes to see the battle that was taking place under their eyes.

"**We need to do something, Rose?" **Samantha murmured.

"**No, you need to hide here, I'll do something. I need to help my daddy!"** Rose responded to her, while putting a finger over her mouth, signing Samantha to keep silent.

Rose turned her head to look at the spectacle, before seeing her mother appear with her aunty Caroline at her side.

"**Caroline, look out, the vampire at your right!"** Elena screamed at her, before pushing an vampire assailant herself.

Caroline turned on herself, before grabbing the left arm of the vampire man, and passing his body over her head, before hearing the vampire hitting the ground behind her, now completely unconscious.

"**See now, you're starting to get on my last nerves!"** Alex said to Stefan, while rolling on the ground, with the killer machine that his brother had become, on top of him. **"No chance, that you could regain your un-sired self anytime soon?"** Alex asked him, while struggling to hold his hands away from his chest. He was not in need to be heartless!

Caroline turned her head and saw Stefan in top of Alex. She rushed at their sides, before grabbing Stefan by both arms, liberating Alex of Stefan's grip on him, before rolling on the ground with him on top of her.

Stefan reached for the branch tree, before forcefully entering it in Caroline chest.

"**Stefan, please!" **She implored him, while trying to push his hand away. **"Look at me, I beg you…Look at me…It's Caroline, don't do this!" **She cried her heart out to him.

Stefan stared in her eyes for a moment, before pushing the branch deeply into her chest, making Caroline gasp for air.

"**I'm going to die if you continue, Stefan!"** She begged him, while feeling tears rolling on her cheek.

Stefan froze for an instant, before closing his eyes, and snapping out of Klaus sired bond, while pulling the branch out of Caroline chest.

"**Oh my God, Caroline, what did I just do?"** He exclaimed, while taking her in his arms and caressing her hair.

"**I'm ok…I'm ok…"** She repeated, while putting her head in the hollow of his right shoulder.

"**I can't loose you…I can't never loose you!"** He repeated several times, while kissing her forehead.

"**Elena!"** Alex screamed, while throwing a branch stick to her that she grabbled quickly before entering it into one of Klaus's vampire man.

"**That's my girl!"** Alex screamed at her, before turning on himself and loosing his smile at the sight of Klaus and Bill fighting.

* * *

><p>All that followed happen in a surreal moment, like time had stopped for a few minutes. Rose was approaching the battle field, while hearing her mother screamed to her to run and leave. She closed her eyes, and started her supernatural transition, she re-opened them a moment later, but their colours were now coal black, she raised her hands to the sky, creating several thunders and intense lightning in the night sky, with heavy guts of wind.<p>

"**What is happening?"** Caroline asked Stefan, while raising her head to the sky.

"**I don't know? It's Rose!"** Stefan screamed, while covering Caroline with his body.

"**Elena?"** Alex screamed to her, while scattering the surroundings before finding her near a tree, before kneeling in front of her trembling body to protect her from the exterior elements.

_Redit in tenebris abyssi  
>Redit in tenebris abyssi<br>Redit in tenebris abyssi_

Rose recited several times this incantation while pointing her hand toward Bill and Klaus who were fighting to find death.

Klaus struggled his way to victory, while putting his enemy on the ground, pushing his forearm on his throat, and holding Bill immobile under him, before raising a wooded stake in his right hand, and in one last struggle to win, plunging the tip in his heart, killing Bill in a manner of seconds.

"**No!"** Alex screamed from the top of his lungs, while seeing the dead body of his friend, before hearing Rose screamed:

"_Deos te oro!"_

All their surroundings went totally pitch black, making them unconscious for a few minutes, a dead silence filling the quiet forest, with only the noise of a calmer wind to fill the empty space.

Alex opened his eyes the first one, while straightening his body in a sitting position, raising his head to look at Elena who was still unconscious, before putting her head on the trunk of the tree. Then, he crawled to reach Bill's death body, while taking his friend in his arms.

"**No…"** He murmured, while feeling tears running on his cheeks, before holding his friend near his chest. **"No…"**

Elena woke up, while slowly opening her eyes, and turning her head from right to left to have a sense of reality. She finally rose on her feet, while putting a hand on her mouth, forbidding herself to scream. She took a few walking steps to reach Alex, before putting a friendly hand on his right shoulder.

He angrily raised his head at her, before shouting:

"**Don't touch me!" **

"**Alex, I am so sorry."** She whispered to him.

"**I said don't touch me!" **He repeated to her, before rising on his feet in his vampire speed, pushing her forcefully against a tree, with a hand placed on her throat. **"This is your entire fault!"** He screamed at her.

Stefan took a tree branch in his hands, before hitting Alex's head with all his vampire strength, seeing him fall on the forest ground a second later, completely unconscious.

"**Why did you do that?"** Elena screamed at Stefan, while rushing beside Alex lying position and kneeling at his side.

"**I did that, because Alex was attacking you, Elena!"** Stefan screamed at her, while passing a nervous hand through his hair.

"**He would never hurt me, Stefan, never, and it is not like I could die!" **She burst at him, while holding Damon's head near her chest. **"He was just devastated of loosing his best friend."** She explained.

"**Well, it is as well! We need to have him under control Elena, if you still want to have Damon come back to you? Come back to us?"** He asked her, while bending his upper body, with his hands on his knees, before sighing.

"**How can we make him come back? Regain his memory?"** She asked Stefan, while caressing Alex hair.

"**If we need to, we'll contact Elijah again, and his warlock friend, Charles, but, I want my brother back...Don't you want him back, Elena?"** He asked Elena.

Elena kept silent, while closing her eyes and feeling tears rolling on her cheeks.

"**Where's Klaus?"** Caroline asked, while reaching Elena and Stefan position.

"**He literally vanished under our eyes."** Stefan explained, while nodding in direction of Rose.

"**Rose!"** Elena screamed, while rising on her feet and rushing toward her daughter.

"**No! She is in some kind of transition state…Don't call her, Elena."** He warned her, while retaining her in his side.

"**Elena…"** She heard the voice of a little girl calling, before turning her head to see Samantha walking toward her.

"**Samantha? What are you doing here…Oh sweetie, come here."** She called her, before kneeling and hugging her. **"Are you alright?"** She asked her, while caressing her hair.

"**Yes, I'm ok, Elena...Is Alex alright?"** Samantha asked her, while staring at the unconscious body of Alex.

"**He'll be alright."** Elena responded, while nodding and hugging her more.

Stefan and Caroline rushed toward Roberto lying position, before sensing his blue vein on the left side of his neck.

"**He's alive!"** Stefan shouted to Elena.

"**Thank God."** Elena murmured, while closing her eyes.

Rose stood motionless, with her stare lost in the forest, before scattering the surroundings and walking toward the lying dead body of Bill, kneeling at his side and sliding her little hand on his chest. She closed her eyes, and a bright white illuminated light enveloped her and Bill's body.

* * *

><p>Alex opened his eyes, while feeling a sharp pain hitting his temples; he straightened his upper body in a sitting position, before scattering the room from where he was lying.<p>

At first sight it seemed that he was in the middle of a dungeon, sitting on a bed camp. He rose on his feet, while suddenly putting his hands on each side of his head. Son of a bitch! His brother had probably hit him with something to knock him out. He scattered the place, only to see his bed and a chair near the opposite wall.

He sat back on the bed, while closing his eyes as the memories was coming back to him…Bill! Oh my God, Bill! His only friend was dead and gone for good now. Elena? Where was she? Was she the one who hit him and put him in this locked dungeon?

"**Are you hungry?"** He heard a voice asking him, while showing to him a blood bag though the bars of the dungeon door.

Alex raised his head to look at Stefan, while shaking his head in negation.

"**I'm …I'm sorry, Alex."** Stefan sighed, while looking at his brother, before leaning his head on the door. **"I had no other choice; you were getting violent with Elena. And, if I have to pass the next ten years with you in this cell, I will, till you regain your memory, till my brother is back in my life."** He explained to Alex, without hearing a sound as a response. **"Alex, please say something?"** Stefan begged him.

"**So, the past five years, you basically search for me, through all the States of America?"** Alex asked Stefan, while reaching for his pack of cigarette, and lighting one.

"**Yes."** Stefan nodded to him, while raising one of his eyebrows in suspicion. Why was he asking him that question now?

Alex got on his feet, while taking a few steps to reach the dungeon door, and a few puffs of his cigarette.

"**You left the woman that you loved behind to search for me, which of the two was it: Elena or Caroline?"** Alex asked him.

"**I will always love Elena; don't ever ask me not to."** Stefan responded to him, before lowering his head, closing his eyes and saying. **"Caroline…I was in love with Caroline. And I love her still, even more than ever."** Stefan added.

Damon approached the door, while locking his eyes with Stefan's.

"**Then how can I hate you, brother? Who would give five years of his life to find his brother like you did? Who would do that?" **Alex asked him.

"**Technically, I have the eternity in front of me, so it was not too much of a lost."** Stefan answered him, in an attempt of making a joke.

"**You're so bad at making jokes!"** Alex told him, while shaking his head.

"**Ya, I know, you were always telling me that in the past."** Stefan answered him, while smirking.

"**No one ever did that for me. No one that I remember..."** Alex confessed to him, while throwing his cigarette on the floor and stepping on it. **"So, if you want me to rot in this hole for the next five years. I guess I can do that for you." **He added to Stefan, before turning on himself, and walking toward the bed-camp, while closing his eyes.

Stefan sighed in relief, before opening the lock of the dungeon, and saying.

"**I think that there is something that I can do for you also." **Stefan told him, while pushing the door open.

"**I don't want blood." **Alex repeated to him, while shaking his head.

"**But maybe you want to see me?"** Alex heard a voice calling him, before turning on himself, and freezing on the spot, while opening his mouth in shock. **"Bill? But…You…You were dead…I hold your body in my arms?" **Alex said to him, completely astonished, while taking a few walking steps to reach him, and hugging him in his arms. **"Oh, man…You're alive!" **

"**I'm alive, Alex, I'm alive!" **Bill exclaimed, while hugging Alex and closing his eyes.

"**How…How can it even be possible?"** Alex asked him, while slapping his face as a friendly gesture.

"**Well. It seems that you have a special daughter, with special faculties." **Bill answered him, while grabbing his neck, and smiling back at him.

Alex smiled back to his friend, before loosing it, and staring into Bill's eyes.

"**You're human again; I can hear your heartbeats."** He said to Bill, with total amazement showing on his face.

"**Yes, I am human again."** Bill answered Alex, while feeling tears filling his eyes.

Alex turned his head toward Stefan who was leaning his body on the doorway.

"**We have no idea what is happening with her."** Stefan said to Alex, while shrugging his shoulders. **"Rose was conceived under a spell, it seems that she is able to make miracles."** Stefan added to Alex, while shaking his head in disbelieves, and shrugging his shoulders.

Alex turned back his sight to look at his friend.

"**I'm so happy you're back."** Alex confessed to him.

"**Like wise man, like wise!"** Bill responded to him, while hugging him one more time.

"**I need to remember now, don't I?"** Alex murmured into Bill's left ear.

"**You need to do whatever is possible for you to do for you family, Alex. I was not able to do it for mine, do it for yours."** Bill murmured into Alex's ear.

* * *

><p>Elena was standing in front of the window in the parlour room, with her sight lost into the rain that was falling in front of her eyes.<p>

Stefan entered the living room, with his hands in his front jeans pockets.

"**Where is Rose?"** Stefan asked Elena.

"**She is with Samantha. Caroline is making sandwiches in the kitchen for them."** Elena replied to him, without any emotions in her voice.

"**It's funny…"** He said to her, before sitting on the right arm of the sofa, while staring at Elena. **"…I always knew that my brother would be the one who would get you to turn to prove his love for him."** He confessed to her.

"**That was not the reason, Stefan. I did it as a safety precaution for Rose, more now that I know that she is a special child."** She replied to him, while keeping her stare in the rain.

"**But, we both know, Elena, that this is only one of the reasons." **Stefan replied to her, tit for tat, while seeing her turn on herself to stare at him. **"You did it because you felt ashamed for abandoning my brother all these years…That was your way to show your love to him, Damon, Alex…Take your pick."** Stefan said to her, while locking his eyes into hers, rising on his feet, and crossing his arms over his chest.

Elena lowered her sight away from his for a short moment, before raising her eyes back into his.

"**You always knew me so well, Stefan."** She whispered to him, while feeling tears rolling on her cheeks.

Stefan reached her standing position, before taking her in his arms, and hugging Elena near him.

"**It's going to be ok, Elena, we have him back with us, now…And Rose is safe."** He whispered to her, while caressing her hair.

"**I'm afraid, Stefan. I'm afraid for Alex, and for Rose…I have no idea what kind of supernatural power my daughter has? She was able to send Klaus to another dimension. Tell me what that means?"** She asked him, while crying on his shoulder.

"**I know." **Stefan responded to her, while pushing her at arms length, before raising her chin with his right hand, to make her look at him. **"But, they are alive, Elena, and they are here, with us. That is the best outcome that we could have hoped for."** He said to her, while caressing her cheeks, and wiping her tears with his fingers, before seeing her nod her head at him.

* * *

><p>Stefan reached to pick his army bag under the bed, before putting it on the bedspread, while turning to reach a couple of t-shirts in one of his drawers.<p>

Caroline entered his bedroom, while leaning the right side of her body on the wall.

"**You're leaving?"** She asked him.

Stefan turned to look at her.

"**No, not right away, not before my brother regain his memory."** He answered her, while placing other clothes in the inside of his bag.

"**So what is the rush of packing your clothes then?"** She asked him, while taking a few walking steps in the bedroom, and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"**As for Alex regaining his memory, it's a question of days; I guess. I'll contact Charles Brownston in England tomorrow. Maybe, if everything fails, he'll be willing to come and see if he can reverse the spell?"** Stefan answered, while shrugging his shoulders, and avoiding looking at her.

"**So, you'll keep avoiding looking at me in the eyes, and talking to me till you leave again, then?"** She asked him.

Stefan closed his eyes, while sighing and shaking his head.

"**Don't do this, Caroline."** He said to her.

"**Ah, this is priceless, you are telling me: **Don't do this Caroline?** No, don't do this Stefan! Don't, for the thousand of times, put everything under the rug, like you always do!"** She shouted at him.

Stefan closed his firsts in anger, before turning on himself and facing her.

"**I almost killed you mother, Caroline. Then, I almost abducted my own niece, if that was not even enough; I almost killed my own brother. Therefore, I don't think that I am putting anything under the rug this time to tell you the honest truth!" **Stefan screamed back at her, while hitting his chest with his closed right fist.

"**Stefan, listen to me."** She asked him, while sliding her hands on his neck and face, forcing him to look at her. **"None of this was your fault, none! You were sired to obey Klaus's orders. And even then, you managed to snap out of it. You managed to come back to us, to me!" **She murmured at him, while raising herself on her tip toes, closing her eyes, and leaning her forehead on his.

"**I'm no good for you, Caroline"** He whispered to her, while closing his eyes.

"**Let me be the judge of that, Stefan."** She murmured back to him, while caressing his face with her hands.

Stefan got a firm grip on her wrists, before gently pushing Caroline's hands away from him.

"**Don't."** He told her, while shaking his head.

"**So, that will be your way of handling everything, once again…By leaving?"** Caroline asked him.

Stefan raised his sight into hers, feeling tears filling his eyes.

"**What do you want me to do, Caroline? You have your life here. You're an intelligent, independent woman, who doesn't need a jerk like Stefan Salvatore at her side. A woman who obviously wanted nothing to do with me, and who lied in my face about her relationship with another man"** He said to her.

"**You left for five all years! And then one day, out of the blue, you came back, and you wanted me to throw my arms around you like nothing had happened, before like I should have forgot the fact that you abandoned me five years ago. I had to protect my heart, Stefan. I was afraid, could you understand that?"** She asked him.

"**Maybe Tyler was the man for you after all?"** He added.

"**Oh you got to be kidding me? Well, he is not!"** She burst in anger into his face.

"**He could be, if given the chance."** He continued.

"**He betrayed me, and he betrayed all of us!"** She replied to him.

"**Not like I did not do the same." **He shrugged, before adding. **"He is in love with you, Caroline."**

"**Well, I don't love him!"** She replied angrier than ever, while crossing her arms in front of her chest.

"**I want you to be happy, Caroline, be happy for me, ok?"** He told her, while nodding his head, and adding. **"I'll stay till my brother is back, then I will leave. I did enough damage as it is."** He added to her, before loosing his eyes in hers, and in a last urge of passion, crashed his mouth on hers.

Caroline stood in his arms in surprise, with her eyes opened for a short moment, before returning his kiss, while encircling her arms and hands around his neck, deepening her kiss by sliding her tongue between his lips, making him groan with satisfaction and desire, before seeing him shake his head, and detaching his lips form hers, while pushing her away.

"**No." **He murmured to her, before turning on himself and storming out of the room, while leaving her speechless.

* * *

><p>The door of the dungeon was suddenly opened, and the little girl took a few walking steps inside to reach the man who was lying on the bed camp. He startled in his sleep, before straightening his body, striking his eyes, and staring at Rose.<p>

"**What are you doing here?'** Alex asked her, in complete shock.

"**Hi, daddy…" **She responded, while smiling at him.

"**You can't be here."** Alex warned her, while shaking his head.

"**But, you are my daddy, why can I be here with you?"** Rose asked him, while taking a sitting place on the bed, beside him.

"**Because, it's not safe for you to be here, Rose, you need to go back upstairs."** Alex told her, while caressing her hair.

"**It's always safe to be near you, Daddy." **Rose responded to him, while nodding her little head.

"**Oh Rose, you're so special."** He said to her, while caressing her cheeks.

"**Of course I am special; I'm a part of you and mommy." **She responded to Alex.

Alex smiled, before shaking his head, and passing a nervous hand through his hair.

"**You know why I am confined in here?"** He asked the little girl.

"**Yes, because you can't remember who you were before you left mummy."** She explained to him.

"**That's right, and I don't want to hurt you, Rose."** Alex confessed to her.

"**I can make you remember now, Daddy. It's time."** Rose said to Alex.

"**I wish you could, sweetheart."** Alex responded to her.

"**But I can Daddy; I can do anything I want, like sending the bad man away. I am the key to the door of your memory, you didn't know that?"** Rose said, while titling her head to the right, to a shocked and speechless Alex.

* * *

><p>"<strong>I'll have to go back to the underground, Elena; I can't stay away much longer."<strong> Bill explained to her.

He was standing in the middle of the parlour room with Stefan, Caroline and Elena by his side.

"**Aren't you afraid of showing yourself back there as a human, Bill?" **She asked him, while keeping her arms crossed over her chest.

"**Elena, when are you going to understand that we have a code of honour there? Even as vampire bikers, I'm not afraid to go back there alone, I'll be fine. And I have to bring back Roberto and Samantha with me."** He informed her.

"**If you want I can go with you?"** Stefan asked Bill.

"**Thanks for the offer, but I'll be fine." **Bill responded, while nodding his head in a thankful way to him.

"**You shaved your beard. Only for that; you look more human to me." **Elena mocked him.

"**Be careful, Princess. I still can hurt you, even as a human."** Bill responded to her, while pointing a finger and blinking an eye at her.

"**I can't doubt that…" **She responded to Bill, in a mocking tone of voice, before adding. **"..I'll have to thank my daughter for turning you back as someone that I can tolerate now." **

"**Please, do that…"** He responded to her, while smirking at her.

"**What is the underground?'** Caroline asked Bill, before taking place in an arm chair.

"**The underground is a safe place for the children who were physically abused or left alone on the street. Alex took them under his wink."** Bill explained to Caroline, while nodding his head.

"**Wow! Damon did this even without remembering who he was."** Caroline exclaimed in shock, while staring into Elena's eyes.

"**I guessed his soul stayed the same."** Bill responded to Caroline.

"**My brother found a way to hold on to his humanity. Even in the past, he always did."** Stefan said, before adding. **"My offer still stands if you want me to go to this underground with you/" **

"**I think Damon will go to the underground with Bill."** They heard a voice addressed itself to them, while turning to face Alex at the entrance of the parlour room, with an open speechless expression on their faces.

Damon swallowed a small lump in his throat, while fixating his stare into Elena's.

"**But I'll need to shave before; my present look needs to be updated."** He added to them.

"**Damon?" **Stefan questioned, while taking a few walking steps to stand in front of him. **"How did you get out of...?"** Stefan mumbled still in complete shock.

"**Hey brother, looking good…But, please loose the 70' look it does nothing for your complexion."** Damon responded to him, in a mocking tone of voice.

Stefan took one more step, before hugging his brother in his arms.

"**Oh my God, you're back!"** He exclaimed, while detaching himself, putting both of his hands on Damon's face, before saying. **"You're back…What happened?"**

"**Rose happened. She was the Pandora box, Stefan." **Damon replied to him, before adding. **"Without my daughter, I would have never remembered the past." **

"**Do you remember the five past years?" **Caroline asked him.

"**Hey Blondie…Yes, I do remember." **Damon replied to her, before nodding and turning his sight at Bill, while handing his hand to him. **"And, I certainly do remember my best friend." **

"**Hi stranger…" **Bill responded to him, while taking his hand in his.

Caroline turned to look at Elena, who was standing immobile with a teary and empty sight fixated on Damon.

"**Elena?"** Caroline murmured to her, while reaching her standing position and putting a hand on her right forearm. **"Are you ok?"** She asked her.

Elena turned her veiled eyes toward her, before storming out of the parlour room with a hand placed over her mouth.

"**Elena?"** Stefan screamed at her, while turning to face his brother. **"What are you waiting for? Go to her!"**

"**I'll go see her."** Damon said to his brother, with a calmer, almost indifferent tone of voice. **"Though, I highly doubt I am the man that she really wants to see."** He added.

* * *

><p>Elena was standing in Damon's bedroom, while drowning her sight at the rain that was falling through the French door of the balcony.<p>

"**Well, the decor did not change."** Damon exclaimed while entering his own past bedroom, and taking a few walking steps to reach his man dresser, before opening a drawer. **"Wow, even my clothes are still here! I guess I was not forgotten by all." **He sarcastically said to her.

"**Don't do this!"** She murmured to him.

"**Do what, **_**vampire**_** Elena?"** He asked her, with a resentful tone of voice, while getting rid of his dirty _Van Halen_ T-shirt, and throwing it in a waste basket, directing his walking steps toward the bathroom, before opening the water faucets and sprinkling his face, before looking at his reflection in the mirror. **"I guess I'll need to cut my hair very soon."** He added to himself, while still very annoyingly avoiding speaking to her, before turning his head toward Elena and lowering his upper body to avoid a projectile that was coming his way, hitting violently the mirror, and breaking it in pieces a second later. **"You know what they say Elena? If you broke a mirror, you'll have seven years of sadness; could it be that you will be missing Alex this time around?"** He lashed out at her, angry as hell.

"**Go to hell, Damon!" **She screamed at his face, while gesturing with her hands and arms.

"**No, you go to hell, Elena! I was in hell already for the past five years, where were you all that time?" **He screamed back at her.

"**I was crying my eyes out for you!"** She shouted at him, while feeling the tears running on her cheeks, and closing her fists in anger.

"**Well, you were obviously not crying enough, Elena. Maybe, you'll cry more for Alex!" **He responded to her.

"**Then, I'll be crying for you, because **_Alex_** is you!"** She shouted more to his face.

"**No, he is not me! He's the man that you fell in love with while forgetting everything about me!" **He responded, tit for tat, while pointing a finger at her.

"**You don't know what you're saying."** She responded to him, while shaking her head and passing the back of her hand on her wet cheeks, before crossing her arms over her chest.

"**I don't!"** Damon responded to her, while raising one of his eyebrows. **"Well, let see, sweetheart!"** He added, while forcefully grabbing her left arm and dragging her behind him toward the big mirror in the bedroom.

"**Let go of me, Damon!"** She screamed at him, while trying to free herself, but without being able to succeed.

"**What? Just when the fun is starting? I don't think so, Elena!"** He responded, before turning her body in his arms, raising her t-shirt on her lower back, where the tattoo was showing, while pushing her nearer the mirror. **"What do you see Elena? Is it my name that you see? Mm…I don't think so!**" He screamed at her, before pushing her out of reach.

"**You did this!"** She screamed back at him, while pointing a finger at him. **"You, Damon…Not anybody else…" **

"**You think? Funny that my name is not tattooed on your back then, Elena…If I did this!" **He replied, while raising his chin in the air.** "And what else did I do? Oh yes! I turned you as a vampire…Well; I don't remember that you ever asked me to turn you when we were together!" **He added to her.** "What? Did the cat ate you tongue, Elena? You're not screaming anything back at me?" **

"**You're disgusting!" **She busted at him, while sweeping the tears away from her face.

"**Oh ya? Why? Because you would prefer Alex to be here, I supposed?"** He screamed at her, before grabbing her arms, pulling her in an embrace, while holding her wrists, with her firm grip of his left hand, behind her back, and lowering his face at a near inch of hers. **"What? You're dreaming that Alex would hold you this way?"**

"**Let go of me, Damon!"** She screamed, while trying to free herself away from him, but without succeeding.

"**You like it rough, if I remember correctly, Elena?" **He asked her, before crashing his mouth on hers, forcing her lips apart, while invading her intimacy against her will, before pushing her toward the wall behind them, kissing her with the salvation of man desperate to taste what she was refusing to him.

He rubbed his hands all over her body, abruptly, forcefully…She was his, and his only! Elena tried to push him away, but he was too determinate to win this battle, and she was too weak to even try. Finally, he stepped away from her, while passing the back of his right hand over his mouth, and narrowing his sight on her with disdain showing in his eyes.

"**Once a whore, always a whore, Elena…" **He lashed out at her, before feeling her right hand slapping him across his face.

Damon raised his right hand to feel his cheek, while looking at her with an angry stare.

"**Say it!"** He screamed at her.

"**Screw you!"** She responded.

"**I said, say it!"** He repeated several time, before seeing her crack under the pressure.

"**I hate you! I hate you for leaving me for five years. I hate you for leaving me with our daughter, with no one but myself to take care of her…And I wish Alex was here!"** She screamed from the top of her lungs.

They stood face to face; his eyes locked with hers, while leaving the silence fill the empty space between them for a short moment.

"**Exactly what I wanted to here from you, Elena…"** He said to her, before turning on himself, taking one clean t-shirt from the open drawer, before dressing himself, walking toward the bedroom door. **"…I'll talk to Rose. I'll explain to her that I need to go back to the Underground with Bill to bring Samantha and Roberto. We'll find a suitable arrangement for the custody of Rose at my return." **He said to her, before storming out of the room.

Elena put a shaking hand on her chest, while letting herself drop on the floor, before putting her head in her hands.

* * *

><p>Stefan walked on the sidewalk toward the bus stop that was located in front of one of the bench of the Mystic Falls Park. He dropped his army bag and backpack at his feet, before stroking his eyes, and passing a hand on his bearded face. Funny how life is sometimes, several weeks ago he had taken the same path but in reverse. He had arrived by bus, had walked the streets of Mystic Falls toward the cupcakes bakery of Caroline, then he had entered inside, he had seen her behind the counter after five years away from this town, and had fallen in love with her all over again! But, she had never known that part.<p>

He closed his eyes, before sighing, and sliding his hands in his jacket pockets. His heart was breaking in hundred of pieces right now, in bitter sweet feelings. Bitter because he was leaving Mystic Falls for several months, yet –and for the second time, and sweet, because his brother Damon was finally back. Sweet, because Klaus had been send to another dimension that none of them knew about except from his adorable niece, Rose. And finally bitter, because he was leaving behind him the woman he fell in love with.

He felt a presence standing beside him, but he did not open his eyes, probably a traveler in line that was waiting for the next bus out of the city. Then he heard the music coming from the I-pod:

_Weren't you the one who tried to hurt me with goodbye  
>Do you think I'd crumble<br>Did you think I'd lay down and die?  
>Oh no, not I. I will survive<br>Oh as long as I know how to love I know I'll stay alive;  
>I've got all my life to live,<br>I've got all my love to give and I'll survive,  
>I will survive. Hey hey.<em>

Stefan opened his eyes, before turning his head to the left and seeing Caroline standing by his side.

"**Caroline? What are you doing here?"** He said to her, completely dumfounded.

"**I am waiting for the bus, while listening to music."** She answered him, in a sarcastic tone of voice, keeping her stare in front of her, and smirking. **"I truly hope this is the way to dress when someone goes on the route on an adventure, because, I tried to put all my stuff in this, way too small, bag, and I had to seriously re-evaluate what I would take or not!"** She explained, very seriously, to him.

"**Caroline, what are you doing?"** Stefan asked one more time.

Caroline turned her head, while locking her eyes with his.

"**I'm coming with you."** She murmured to him.

"**What do you mean, Caroline, no you're not, why would you do that? I'm no good; I only brought pain into your life since I came back to Mystic Falls. I abandoned you five years ago, and I almost killed my own niece and brother since then!"** Stefan replied to her, while passing a nervous hand through his tangled hair.

"**But, you were under compulsion, it wasn't you fault, Stefan…And, don't you know why by now?**' She asked him, before raising her hands to touch his face.

Stefan swallowed a lump in his throat, while closing his eyes, and taking within the intense feeling of her fingers on his face, then he took her writs in his hands, and pushed her away.

"**Don't do this to yourself, Caroline, you deserve more!" **Stefan mumbled, very nervously, to her.

"**I deserve "you", Stefan Salvatore."** She whispered to him, before rising on her tip toes, and very so slowly kissing his lips. **"You know why? Because I love you…"** She murmured near his lips, before drowning her sight in his.

"**Listen to me, young man…"** An old curious man, who was sitting on a near bench, said to Stefan. **"…If you don't kiss this young lady, I'm going to do it for you!" **

Stefan turned his head to look at the man, before shaking his head and smiling.

"**Caroline…"** He whispered, before pulling her nearer to him, and crashing his mouth on hers, while sliding his left hand in her hair, on the enthusiastic applauses of the old man and some passer-by on the street.

Caroline giggled under his lips, before locking her eyes with his.

"**I don't understand, how can you do this? You can't leave your bakery, and what about Rose and Elena?"** Stefan asked her, while caressing her hair.

"**I close the bakery for the rest of the summer. I just want to be with you, Stefan. As for Rose, I love her, I will always love her, and she'll be a part of my life, and a part of yours, but, she is Damon's and Elena's daughter, it's their responsibility now. I left them the Boarding house…"** She explained to him, while passing her arms around his neck, before adding. **"…And I understand if you can't be in love with me for now, but I would love to just leave this town with you!"**

Stefan bent his head backward, before bursting into laughter.

"**What's so funny?"** She said to him, while loosing her smile, and trying to push herself away from his embrace.

"**No, come back here, Caroline!"** He exclaimed, while bringing her into the warm of his arms, burying his head in the softness of her left shoulder. **"Do you have any ideas by now how much I love you: Caroline Forbes?"**

"**What?'** She mumbled, while turning her head to look at him in the eyes, in complete shock.

"**Oh, my beautiful Caroline, I always loved you!"** He murmured to her, while cupping her face in his hands, and slowly kissing her.

"**Mm…."** Caroline mumbled on top of his lips, before detaching her lips from his and saying. **"…But you left me five years ago?"**

"**Yes, I thought I was not good enough for you, and I needed to go after my brother. Plus, I was a coward, not able to face my feelings at that moment….You changed me, Caroline." **Stefan explained to her, while sweet kissing her lips, in the middle of every sentence. **"I love you Caroline Forbes…I always did…And always will!"**

"**I love you too…So much!"** She exclaimed, before crashing her mouth on his lips, while hearing the engine of the bus, and seeing it stop in front of their sidewalks standing position.

"**Well…Don't stand there kissing!"** The old man said to them, while adding. **"Take your luggage, and go marry each other in Vegas!" **

Caroline and Stefan turned their heads to look at the old man, completely dumfounded.

"**Now, that is not a so bad idea!"** They heard a fourth party exclaimed, while turning their head to see Damon.

"**Damon?"** Stefan said, totally surprised.

"**Brother…"** Damon said to him, while nodding his head and smiling at Caroline.

"**What are you doing here?"** Stefan asked him.

"**Well, I heard that my brother was heading on an adventure trip. So, I'm here to wish you well, and telling you that I will wait for your return in Mystic Falls. One day soon, I hope."** Damon explained to him, while rubbing nervously his hands together.

Stefan took a few steps to reach Damon, before throwing his arms around him, and hugging him.

"**Missed you Bro…"** He said to him, while feeling tears filling his eyes. **"Could you ever forgive me?**' He asked him.

"**There's nothing to forgive!"** Damon replied to him, while hugging him back, and closing his eyes. **"Thank you for never giving up on me."** He added to him, in an almost none perceivable whisper.

Stefan pushed himself away from the embrace, before putting his right hand around Damon's neck.

"**Always brother…God, you're a pain in the ass!"** He added in a laugh, with Damon and Caroline laughing with him.

"**And you like me that way."** Damon responded, while smirking and blinking an eye at him.

"**What are you going to do this summer?"** Stefan asked him.

"**Take time to cut my hair."** Damon responded, with a sarcastic tone in his voice.

"**Good idea!"** Caroline exclaimed, while giving their bags to the driver of the bus.

"**Hey Barbie…"** Damon called her.

"**What?"** She asked him, while turning on herself, with a hand place on her hips.

"**Take care of my brother, would you?"** Damon asked her, while nodding his head.

"**Always…"** She answered, before hugging Damon. **"Is this meaning that we are friend now?"** She asked him.

"**Hell no!"** Damon responded, while blinking an eye at her, and watching them climb the bus stairs.

"**Bye…"** Stefan said to Damon one last time.

"**Bye brother…Take care!"** Damon answered him, before seeing the sliding door of the coach bus closing in front of his eyes.

The engine started, and the bus rolled away from his sight on the street.

"**Ready to go Alex…Damn it! I mean, Damon?"** Bill screamed at him, from the other side of the street.

"**Yap…"** He answered, before walking toward Bill, Roberto and Samantha.

Damon knew only one sure thing about his future: He needed to figure out which of Damon or Alex he was now?

* * *

><p>"<strong>So, Miss Forbes, what about Vegas, are you up for it?"<strong> Stefan asked Caroline, while caressing her head that was resting on his right shoulder.

"**I'm up to being with you anywhere."** Caroline replied to Stefan, before raising her head, and sweet kissing his lips.

"**I like this idea."** He replied to her, with a smile.

* * *

><p>"<strong>Mummy…"<strong> Rose called Elena.

"**Yes sweetie?"** Elena responded to her, while shaking her head to get back to reality. She had been staring at the kitchen window since hours now, with a cup of fresh blood in her hands. Since the moment Damon had walked out of her life, once again…Even, if this time she knew that it was only temporary.

Elena kneeled on the floor, in front of Rose.

"**I love you, even if you are a vampire like daddy now!"** She said to Elena.

Elena smiled, while passing a hand on her teary eyes.

"**Oh sweetie, I love you too!"** She replied to her, while hugging her daughter.

"**Mummy…"** She asked more.

"**Yes, Rose?"** Elena asked her, while caressing her hair.

"**You think that daddy will come back?"** She asked.

"**Oh sweetie, for you always, he'll be back after driving Roberto and Samantha to their home…He would move mountains for you!"** Elena replied.

"**But I meant for you? Will he be back for you?"** She asked Elena.

Elena closed her eyes for a moment, before reopening them, and swallowing a lump in her throat.

"**I don't know, Rose…I don't know…" **She honestly replied, while taking Rose back into her arms.

* * *

><p>"<strong>They felt asleep."<strong> Bill mumbled to Damon, while turning to look at Roberto and Samantha, before putting a cigarette on his lips. **"You want one?"** He asked Damon.

Damon shook his head in negation.

"**Right…I'm sorry…I don't know what you like or don't like anymore."** Bill said to Damon, while throwing his own cigarette by the window. **"Actually, I don't even know if I should smoke again, now that I could die from it!"**

"**If it is any consolation, I don't know what I like or not either!"** Damon replied, while timidly smiling to Bill.

"**Man…It must be hard for you, is it?"** Bill asked, to which Damon shrugged his shoulders.

"**I need to figure stuff out…"** Damon replied to his friend.

"**In other words, you need to figure your true feelings for Elena Gilbert?"** Bill said to him, while raising one of his eyebrows.

"**I know my feelings for her, they never changed. And, even when I lost my memories, I was always thinking of her! She's in my blood, Bill."** He answered him.

"**Then, be with her!"** Bill exclaimed, before adding. **"Thank God each day that you still have her in your life…I'll never be with my wife and children again, but, you still have your family, Damon." **

"**I know…" **Damon replied to him, while keeping his stare on the route.

"**Do you still love her, because, if the answer is yes, Damon…You need to fight your way back to her!" **Bill said to him.

"**She wants Alex now…I saw it in her eyes!"** Damon mumbled angrily in his teeth.

"**So? Where's the problem? That's you! Alex is a part of you, Damon…If you don't know that already…You need to examine yourself in the mirror!"** Bill exclaimed to him, while shaking his head in disbelief, before adding. **"Do you still love Elena? Does Damon Salvatore still love that woman?"**

Damon turned his head to look at Bill, before passing a nervous hand trough his long tangled hair, but without answering him.

* * *

><p>Elena gently pushed Rose away from her embrace.<p>

"**Mummy…Everything is going to be ok, you'll see!" **Rose told her, while passing her little hand over Elena's wet cheeks, before adding.** "Do you still love Daddy?"**

* * *

><p>"<strong>I love Elena more than life itself, Bill; she is my brightest light in the darkest night. I wouldn't be the man that I am now without her!"<strong> Damon said in a whisper, while closing his eyes.

"**I love Damon more than life itself; sweetie. Your daddy is my light in the darkest night. I wouldn't be the woman than I am without him!" **Elena said in a whisper, while closing her eyes.

* * *

><p>Believe one thing my dear readers, this crossover combined chapter was the hardest thing I had to do since I started to write on this site, and this on so many levels…Technically, by the numerous scenes and characters…And emotionally, because I was saying goodbye to a big chapter of two stories.<p>

From the bottom of my heart thank you, thank you, thank you…To all my dear readers, for your unconditional love of **Too much noise in the bedroom / Whisper of the past / An unexpected love affair / An unexpected love affair part II**….Sigh, I'm an emotional wreck right now…It's ridiculous, I should no be emotional like this.

I've grown a lot as a writer in the past two years. I started writing the first chapter in December 2010. I still have a lot to learn, but I know that your love and dedication for these four stories helped me give the best that I could.

**Please note****:** A third sequel named: **"Black roses"**, following "**Whisper of the past"** will come this autumn for Damon & Elena, including Rose and Samantha.

Sending you several hugs and wishing to all of you a beautiful summer 2012!

**Lovely Vero.**


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